Photo provided by Darcy Burke
Darcy Burke knows water
Canyon Lake’s Darcy Burke is a unique self-proclaimed water maniac.
She has been dipping her toe in all things water for as long as she can remember. She’s most known for her work on the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Board of Directors, including, for a period time, as its president. She represents Canyon Lake to the water district and spreads the district message at city council and other community meetings.
She moved to Canyon Lake in 1999 and, naturally, as one passionate about water, founded WaterMark Associates.
“As a single mom, I needed to provide long-term medical insurance for my daughter,” Darcy said. “I also wanted to be able to spend more time with my family. I moved here because my parents and brother moved here. I was a single mom starting a new chapter in life and this was a great place to raise my daughter. We have made life-long friendships and I couldn’t be more grateful for where I live.”
As president and chief executive officer of WaterMark, Darcy is able to have flexibility in her schedule.
“I’m able to enjoy the amenities of the lake,” she said. “For example, I can usually get out of the office early on a Tuesday so I can enjoy Taco Tuesday at the Lodge.”
Having a background in water management gave Darcy the opportunity to work alongside the city’s Kasey Castillo in the new C.L.E.A.R Foundation. The foundation had a vision for lifeguards in Canyon Lake and to also bring water safety awareness to Canyon Lakers.
When Kasey was Canyon Lake’s mayor, she and Darcy thought it would benefit the community to have a once-a-month, informal coffee with the mayor and with the water district director. The monthly coffee klatch was born and continues today with Mayor Jeremy Smith.
“These monthly meetings are a great way for the community to come out and talk about their concerns or have questions answered,” Darcy said. “We want to be approachable and during board meetings, we are structured and can’t usually respond. Coffee with the mayor and water district director allows us to respond to questions those in our community may have.”
The city’s Mark Terry and Darcy Burke pose aside the Canyon Lake Dam. Photo provided by Darcy Burke
Canyon Lake residents often have water-related questions and don’t always know how to get them answered. The monthly coffee meeting gives them an opportunity to casually ask an expert their questions.
“Coffee with the mayor is a platform where people can come and meet us,” Darcy said. “People sometimes struggle with process and in these meetings we can help them through the different processes. We help navigate them in the right direction. Sometimes, people need to be shown the most efficient steps to get the best solutions.”
For example, if someone wants to put in a pool which has lakefront property, they would need to deal with the POA first, then the water district, before heading to the city, she said.
“I just want to help make things easier for people and both Kasey and Jeremy have the same goals,” Darcy said. “I hope if someone is met with a challenge or doesn’t understand something, they can feel at ease coming to a coffee with the mayor and me to get their questions answered.”
The C.L.E.A.R Foundation has turned into a very important organization for both Darcy and the community.
“I am on the C.L.E.A.R Foundation board,” she said. “The intent of the foundation is to bring awareness to the lake and water. It is the intent of C.L.E.A.R. to encourage people to learn to swim. We also encourage the fun that goes along with lake life including skiing, wakeboarding, swimming and boating.”
She thinks all those who live in Canyon Lake should learn to swim.
“Swimming is most important,” Darcy said. “We live on a lake. When you have strong swimmers, water sports are safer and the lake is safer for everyone.”
Learning about water is both important and fun, she said.
“I hope that the water district can help provide informational classes for the kids,” Darcy said. “Water science is a great way to learn about the lake, water, and the dynamics of what’s happening at different times of the year with our lake. These classes will be ideal for kids between 8 and 15 who show an interest. It’s especially beneficial to have our kids understand water and how to be safe in and around it.”
Darcy’s company, Watermark Associates, is a woman-owned limited liability corporation that provides strategic organizational services with effective communication strategies.
“I named it WaterMark because I made my mark in water,” Darcy said.
One of Darcy’s clients is the Southern California Railway Museum located in Perris. She has become very passionate about the museum and the history behind it.
“I’m passionate about the museum for two reasons,” Darcy said. “First, they are my clients, but besides that, the museum holds so much history. When we stop embracing history and how things work, we make mistakes. So many skills are being lost in our society and the train museum helps keep them alive.”
Passing along the lost trades of the railway world to the younger generations is vital to help preserve them.
“The train museum offers trades such as steam, HVAC and electricity,” Darcy said. “Pioneers in these fields volunteer their time and when a young adult can be given the opportunity to work alongside such knowledge, we are preserving history.”
The museum is unique in its ability to stop time for just a moment.
“Everyone is in such a hurry,” she said. “The museum takes us back in history. History is so important, and so are the talents that made this country what it is. I’m sad to see it being lost to the younger generation.”
Darcy volunteers at the museum and is hoping she can get Canyon Lake teenagers to do the same.
“I’m passionate about the museum because I want our kids to be able to come and volunteer,” Darcy said. “They don’t get paid money. What they do get paid is far more valuable than that. They are paid knowledge…knowledge our kids can take into the real world and use. It’s like getting a free education.”
“Canyon Lake establishes relationships, friendships and a sense of community,” Darcy said. “Canyon Lake gives us a neighborhood, and the train museum gives that same sense of community.”
She’s hoping what Canyon Lake teens have learned from their time in Canyon Lake can be used as they volunteer at the train museum.
“I want kids to learn to drive a train. I want them to learn trades. I want them to learn the history and how important trains have been in our world,” Darcy said. “We need new blood. We need volunteers to keep the museum alive. We need to pass down the knowledge from the older volunteers to the younger ones.”
This knowledge is useful in today’s world.
“Without electrical linemen, we wouldn’t have power for our devices, ” Darcy said. “Linemen make sure we have electricity for our devices. Trains are the same. They use technology. Mechanics are just as important. Most everything with our dam requires mechanics.”
The railway museum desperately needs volunteers and Darcy thinks the volunteers just as badly need the museum.
“I’m asking for anyone who is looking for something to do, to come out and volunteer whatever time you have, no minimum or maximum hours required, at the train museum,” Darcy said. “Bring your knowledge. Keep history alive for our younger generations.”
Additionally, she said, there are more volunteer needs than just the museum.
“We have volunteer opportunities right here in our own community,” she said. “We have the Tuesday Work Group, the C.L.E.A.R. Foundation and so many other organizations.”
Volunteers are the best recruiters, she said.
“I hope those of you who are involved in volunteering will ask the person next to you who isn’t involved to come and give it a try,” Darcy said. “There’s something for everyone. I’m only asking you to give it a try.”
For more information about the Southern California Railway Museum go to socalrailway.org.