A word with Golden’s mayor

Christina Benty said she feels privileged to be in her second term as mayor of Golden, B.C., after two terms on council. With her children grown and independent, Benty is working toward a master's degree in leadership through Royal Roads University in Victoria, B.C., and is loving it.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Kitchener, Ontario. When I was 10 we moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland, and then to Peachland, B.C., for my teen years.

What was your first paid work?

I babysat as a 12-year-old and hated it—probably because I was the oldest of five children. During most of my summers as a teen I did volunteer work away from home: (in) Chile one year, building a youth centre, and travelling around Alberta in small communities teaching Vacation Bible School.

What’s the most satisfying thing about your job?

It’s interesting, challenging and rewarding. I love working on a team that is striving for excellence, employing humour and being respectful. I love debate and I don’t mind disagreement, but I don’t like it to get personal.

What do you see as Golden’s dominant personality trait?

The former president of the local government management association said, “One thing about Golden is, they punch above their weight class,” and I like that image. I think of Golden as a boxer, resilient and scrappy, but very compassionate as a community. We’re independent and we have a great attitude.

What do you especially love about Golden?

Our greatest resource is our people and their phenomenal spirit of volunteerism.

Where would we find you on a Saturday night?

I’m an early morning runner, so I go to bed early unless I have a community event to attend.

What would you like your legacy to be in Golden?

As part of the administrative team, I’d like to leave an esthetically attractive community and to be known as a good steward of resources, so we’re remembered as having made good decisions for the future. I’d also like to leave a legacy of community collaboration: problem solving through conversation and connection and relationships.

As a council we’ve improved our public spaces quite significantly. The Civic Centre is a gorgeous, prize-winning arts and culture facility reclaimed from a dilapidated old building. Our Spirit Square is a stunningly gorgeous, multifunctional public space that used to be an ugly gravel pit. I’m super proud of that.