A non profit society who advocates for the protection of Sylvan Lake says they're disappointed with the funding help, or lack there of, they've been receiving from local municipalities for the issue of lake noise.

The Sylvan Lake Watershed Stewardship Society (SLWSS), who have been advocating for lake users to keep noise levels down with their Quiet Enjoyment Initiative (QEI), says they haven't received much help from both the Town of Sylvan, and Lacombe County.

Kent Lyle who's a member of the Society and chairs the QEI, says what would really help the lake is closing informal launch sites, and opening a few controled gates to monitor lake users.

"You could then hopefully do something about checking the boats for muscles and invasive species. You can check safety issues, and licensing. And we're advocating that you put on that list that you can check for large boats without adequate noise abatement (mufflers), and hand out material educating people about noise on the lake, being polite, and a little bit more sensitive and thoughtful."

Lyle says loud boats have become a growing concern for many people who visit and use the lake or live around it.

The complaints are mostly focused on large boats without mufflers, which is a requirement of Federal Law, and those that play their music over powerful music systems at very high volumes.

Lyle doesn't understand why there isn't a bylaw in place to help educate all users and local residents.

"Noise is a bigger problem than people realize in our society. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified it as a major health issue. Most municipalities have noise bylaws, and they are enforced. So we're not prepared to give up on this thing because is the right side, I think anyway, but we need some more help."

Lyle says many lake-communities in B.C. that they've studied have noise bylaws in place regarding noise on their lakes, and only ticket people who are constantly breaking the law.

They mainly use the by-laws to educate the lake-users.

Lyle says they've haven't received any funding for their QEI from either the Town of Sylvan Lake or Lacombe County.

Other, smaller, municipalities have chipped in however.

Their next step could be to pay for signage and information handouts out of their own pocket or get the province involved.

One thing he is certain of is that the vast majority of people that he's spoken to are in favour of the QEI's efforts to reduce the noise levels on the lake environment including the 51 municipal-member Association of Summer Villages of Alberta.