Do you like to get out and about to relax?

One of the recurring issues around our community is the lack of infrastructure for walking safely, riding safely, accessing the Lake for a swim or our reserves for a walk.

Lake Mac Council is preparing a Lake Macquarie Active Recreation Strategy, which aims to provide a strategic framework and action plan that enables a coordinated and collaborative approach to support participation in active recreation for liveability, health and wellbeing.

Active recreation is defined as physical activity for the purposes of relaxation, health and wellbeing or enjoyment which can be self-directed or facilitated by a provider or organisation.

Council wants to make sure that the Active Recreation Strategy is based on a strong understanding of the needs and priorities of the community.

So if you’d like to walk on a path and not the road, bike more safely with road markings, perhaps have a track around a reserve or better access to the Lake for a swim, there’s an opportunity to ‘Have Your Say” and get local issues under consideration.

There’s an interactive map when you can put suggestions on specific locations and/or a survey that takes about five minutes to complete.

Feedback survey closes on 31 May 2023. 

Fondalicious pop-up for Active Recreation Strategy - Toronto

Saturday, 13 May 2023 | 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Grab your lycra and leg-warmers and get to the Toronto Foreshore rotunda for a free morning of 80s-inspired aerobic action. Bring a water bottle and a yoga mat or towel for floor work.

More info https://www.lakemac.com.au/Events-directory/Council-events/Fondalicious-pop-up-for-Active-Recreation-Strategy-Toronto

Letter to Council: Amended DA 1274/3013

I object to the amended application DA1274/2013 on the following grounds.

The amended plans for DA1274 do little to reduce the overall impacts of this large development on the local community.

It is acknowledged that there has been a reduction in the number of units to enable access to the site and address the inability of garbage collection to be undertaken which were problematic in the original application.

The bulk and scale of the development remains a problem. Any gains made in the amended application by the ‘reduction in size and footprint of the two storey terraces’ were negated by the addition of an extra 2-storey terrace.

The increase in the number of structures to accommodate the level changes across the site is sensible in that it will reduce the overall cut and fill requirements however this does little to address the overdevelopment of the site and removal of all existing vegetation.

The increase in size of the communal area is acknowledged however the location, surrounded by the access road may not be conducive to public enjoyment and its size to service the entire development which contains only small private spaces may still be inadequate. If the intent is to reduce the visual impact from Laycock Street it will achieve this.

The landscaping plant schedule does little to support the existing wildlife corridor. Native shrubs could be used to increase nectar sources and habitat potential within the development. Introducing more exotic species compromises the local bushland and landcaring efforts.

The proposed stormwater management plan states that 1.73ha of upstream catchment will be diverted around the site in a pipe network which will ‘connect into the existing stormwater pipe…maintaining the existing runoff regime. The capacity of the existing pipe to accommodate the runoff generated by the development is of concern. Within the past decade this pipe has reached capacity on several occasions and caused flooding of adjacent properties.

In addition the original concerns from previous correspondence still stand.

Yours Sincerely

Name:

Address:

Date:

Can Council help…Yes they Can

It’s hard to imagine that in our community there are still some people that believe that they can do what-ever they want , wherever they want without regard for neighbours, the environment or the planning laws that everyone else has to abide by.

The role of Council in addressing community concerns has been highlighted recently in addressing the illegal actions of one person who erected a timber stairway to the waterfront without any planning consent, felled a dozen mature gum trees on a steep slope without any consent, started building a 30m jetty without any consent, erected a fence out in to the lake and piled construction waste on to the foreshore, and constructed a deck and fence which extended on to the neighbour’s land.

The consequences of such actions mean the hillside slides gracefully into the lake because there is nothing holding it together, the foreshore is compromised and neighbourly harmony is non-existent.

This is where Council can help. Lake Macquarie Council has a strong reputation for striving to protect the environment and upholding their planning instruments, it is why they exist. The process also needs community people to raise the issue and instigate the action so Council officers can take action. 

If you see something that you feel is not right, write it down and let Council know. Sometimes you may think what is happening is so outrageous someone must have reported it, but it never hurts to flick a quick email to council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au  or take a photo and record the events as for future reference.