Toronto Action Group

The Toronto Foreshore Protection Group (TFPG) was set up to preserve Toronto's public foreshore land as park for a growing population with a focus on Lake Macquarie City Councils plans for the Bath Street land. So what has happened?

With the now council-approved Toronto Foreshore Master Plan, wider issues are being revealed - parking, boating access and councils reluctance to progress with re-classifying the Bath Street land from Operational to Community, being key points of concern. 

The TFPG felt there was a need to change the name to reflect a change in focus - a focus on issues broader than just the Bath Street land, and to remove the negative connotation associated with the word 'Protection' in favour of a more positive 'Action' stance the new name is the  Toronto Action Group

 www.torontoactiongroup.org.au provides updates on the group's activities

What are the issues?

On 23rd April 2018 LMCC councillors supported a recommendation from their Property Investment Committee to spend up to $1million developing a DA that will see four-six levels of tourist and residential accommodation, carparks and commercial enterprises on the council owned land at Bath Street/Victory Row, adjacent to the foreshore, RMYC and cycleway.

A collective of Toronto community groups, the Toronto Foreshore Protection Group (TFPG), are outraged that such a proposal on the waterfront in a heritage area can be developed without any consultation with the community, outside of commercial interest groups.

The Toronto Foreshore Protection Group's preferred option is to not proceed with any redevelopment and allocate the land for community purposes of consolidation into the overall foreshore masterplan redesign in 2019, which was one of the options put forward in the recommendations to the councillors.

At the Council meeting, whilst there was some concern expressed at the lack of community consultation, it was felt that the community would be able to have input once the DA is lodged. The TFPG believe that before upto $1million of ratepayers money is spent, the residential rate-paying population should have input into the future of the Toronto foreshore parkland, which is perceived as public land for the community. The TFPG believe the DA preparations should be deferred until the Toronto Foreshore Masterplan is completed.

The council’s recommendation openly stated that the 4-6-level proposal is non-compliant with LMCC’s own planning documents but as they are planning an ‘iconic development ‘ they will be able to develop the proposal under the ‘exception to development standards’ clause, the same logic that is being used to propose four-storeys at the Hirecraft marina site and six storeys at Cary Street (next to McDonald's).

Below are some of the non-compliant issues gleaned from LMCC’s planning documents.

The Toronto’s Heritage Precinct Guidelines state

• historical and aesthetic links with the foreshore should be maintained, 
• all new development should be respectful of potential impacts on the foreshore and 
• the existing scale and character of development should be maintained. New buildings should be comparable in size to existing surrounding buildings and should adopt similar forms and materials 

The Toronto Town Centre plan, which is the primary planning document for the township states

• An objective of the plan is to maintain and enhance street views from the town centre to Lake Macquarie 
• The scale height and form of future development should not detract from the scenic qualities or interrupt the identified vistas (from Bath Street) 
• The Block Control (F) for the area permits 2 levels set 40m back from the foreshore 
• A development within the Town Heritage area 
• must not disturb or otherwise alter the landform related to the construction and operation of the Fassifern-Toronto rail line 
• maintain the low small-scale built form between the lake and the foreshore 

The Toronto Foreshore Protection Group’s position to allocate the land for community purposes is founded on the following concerns: 

• 1980's brochure in which Council committed to a Foreshores Park
• Toronto does not have enough open space, recreational facilities, gathering places and publicly accessible foreshore to cater for the existing and projected 20% growth in population over the next decade 
• Toronto has the least amount of public foreshore of any lakeside town in the City 
• Foreshore land was acquired from locals on the understanding it was to become public parkland 
• The Bath St site provides informal parking that supports existing businesses, locals and visitors to recreate in the area and directly access the Lake 
• Community and service clubs have invested time and public monies in improving and stabilising the public foreshore land 
• By LMCC refuting their own planning documents and guidelines they are setting a precedent for the development of foreshore land across the City 
• The foreshore land between Bath St and the Amateur Yacht Club zoned operational is perceived as community land and needs to be protected from future development 
• Council is the only agency that has the legislative capacity to acquire and provide for community parkland. If this land is developed it will be lost to the community. 
• The Toronto Foreshore masterplan is underway, a cost of $80,000. Integrated planning should be undertaken to ensure that there is no conflict between council departments and the community’s vision for the foreshore land. 

What can we do about it ?

• Donate dollars to assist the group. 
• Print a petition and help gather signatures to present to the Councillors. 
• Write or ring the Councillors. Discussion points and councillor contacts are here. 
• Make a personal comment on the flyer and send it off to council 
• Ask your local community group to join the Toronto Foreshore Protection Group 
• Volunteer your time to assist in tackling this issue
• Sign the online petition and  circulate it to your friends, over 1000 people have signed already . Leave a comment too.

Blog Posts and Media articles

28/5/21 What's happening with the foreshore masterplan
15/3/21 Your chance to comment on Toronto's Foreshore Masterplan
8/11/20 Bath Street - Bumps and circuits
2/10/20 Operational intrigue overrides community needs at Bath Street
19/8/20 How good is the good news on the foreshore?
16/8/20 Toronto community is still in the dark' over foreshore plans, group says
7/8/20 Lake Macquarie council pitches scaled-back development for Toronto foreshore
21/7/20 How would you like your foreshore/Pool?
16/6/20 Council 'snail pace' on Toronto Foreshore Park disappointing
23/4/20 The foreshore and Bath Street: local democracy, LMCC style
9/4/20 Newcastle Herald - Letter to the Editor: all quiet on the Foreshore
7/4/20 Lakes Mail - Letter to the Editor  Delays on the Foreshore
20/3/21 TFPG update March 2020
14/2/20 What the FAQ is Council up to?
12/12/19 Lakes Mail Letter to Editor- An Update for Christmas
2/11/19 Bath Street breakthrough
2/11/19 A vision for Bath Street
10/9/19 Now here's an idea- Wilton Ainsworth
10/9/9/19 Toronto Foreshore - Are we there yet?
28/8/19 Newcastle Herald : Foreshore project on hold
28/8/19 Lakes Mail : Council halts Toronto Foreshore development 
26/8/19 Newcastle Herald : Fresh twist on Foreshore
22/8/19 You're needed at Council's Monday night meeting 26/8/19 - 6:30pm
15/8/19 Lakes Mail : Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper calls for council to scrap its Bath Street development plans on Toronto foreshore
13/8/19 Lakes Mail letters : MPs idea preferred
10/8/19 Newcastle Herald : Lone Lake Macquarie councillor backs state MP Greg Piper's alternative option for Toronto foreshore
9/8/19 Greg Piper MP News & Video  : Toronto's waterfront needs this, not high-rise
7/8/19 Lake Mail Letters : Bath Street opportunity, Councillor a lone voice, 
6/8/19 -Let your fingers do the talking - Toronto foreshore survey deadline Sunday 11/8/19, Hear From Foreshore consultants, Is Bath St site to be rezoned?
6/8/19 Toronto's Barangaroo
30/7/19 Lakes Mail Letter: Survey's big issue on Toronto foreshore omitted
29/7/19 Lakes Mail Lake Macquarie City Council invites local knowledge to help shape $9-million spend on Toronto Foreshore Master Plan
2/7/19 Lakes Mail letter: Why won't council listen
27/6/19 Lakes Mail : Wrong time for apartments
25/6/19 Lakes Mails Letters : No right to speculate, Numbers don't stack up
7/6/19 TFPG Update June 2019 - The saga continues, Caring by Commenting
26/5/19 Community Comments due 29/5/19  - Let's make it Happen
29/5/19 LakeMac Today: LMCC 'Misusing funds!'
21/5/19 Lakes Mail : The real motivation for building in Bath St, Toronto
14/5/19 Lakes Mail : Lake Macquarie Sets Aside $25 million over four years
9/5/19 TFPG Update May -Where would you like to see $25million spent?
9/5/19 What's the point of community consultation?
8/5/19 Newcastle Herald | Opinion - Dear Council, community opinion on Toronto development matters
24/4/19 TFPG says it's 'open slather on Toronto foreshore building height limits
11/4/19 TFPG April Update
4/3/19 TFPG March Update 
14/2/19 Lakes Mail Opinion: Lakeside Parking Woes-Bob Ireland
12/2/19 Media Release: Early Foreshore Foresight ignored
25/1/19 TFPG Feb update - Site alternatives
16/1/19 Lakes Mail : Letter - Develop alternative site
21/12/18 Newcastle Herald- Opinion Public loss is private gain on the Toronto foreshore
10/12/18 Community activated to save foreshore
6/11/18 Lakes Mail Letters: Gallery was angry, Meeting was a low point, Constituents' wishes
15/10/18 Toronto Chamber of Commerce backs council plan for multi-storey development on Bath St
18/9/18 What a turn-out!
15/9/18 Foreshore land staked out with clash of ideas about what Toronto needs
4/9/18 NBN News:Toronto development back in the spotlight
4/9/18 Newcastle Herald: Petition against Lake Macquarie City Council development on Toronto foreshore attracts 3400 signatures
27/8/18 Lakes Mail TFPG to send up tethered balloons to show height of proposed development
22/8/18 What price growth?
22/8/18 TFPG Update
16/8/18 Lakes Mail  : Your Say on Toronto
16/8/18  Lakes Mail : Nice earner by the lake
24/7/18 TFPG Update
3/6/18 TFPG Update
19/5/18 Lakes Mail - Letter The value of wellbeing
18/5/18 Newcastle Herald Opinion: Community divided on council's commercial development at Toronto
12/5/18 Lakes Mail/ Newcastle Herald - Eroding Lake's appeal
8/5/18 Lakes Mail - Opinion- Poor Outcome for Toronto
3/5/18 Lakes Mail: Mayor - Potential gains from proposed development
1/5/18 Lakemac Today : Toronto's jewell in the crown
27/4/18 LakeMac Today:  Foreshore must be saved for the people
24/4/18 Lakes Mail : Foreshore Foresight / Newcastle Herald 
24/4/18 LakeMac Today :Council gives Toronto project green light
22/4/18 Blog: Save Our Toronto Foreshore Park