Yellowknife (Jan 12/07) - Penny Ballantyne, a former Yellowknife resident, will be Victoria's first female city manager.

As a former deputy minister of Health and Social Services, and a former deputy minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Ballantyne brings experience she gained working in the NWT to her new position.

Penny Ballantyne with her niece Aliya, 6, and her nephew Seth, 8, while visiting Yellowknife last July. A former Yellowknife resident, Ballantyne will be the first female city manager for the city of Victoria. - photo courtesy of Carmen Aumond

Although Ballantyne said she misses Yellowknife dearly, and seriously considered moving back, as an avid gardener she is enjoying the weather down south.

"Victoria is really a unique city, blessed with this amazing climate," she said.

Ballantyne moved to Victoria three years ago and studied gardening at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific.

While in the United Kingdom for the birth of her first grandchild, she picked up the Globe and Mail and read about the city manager position.

She applied, and after a few phone interviews and passing a review panel, she was offered the position.

"I'm so excited," said Ballantyne. "There is so much potential here. The city is really rooted in its past, but is also so young with three universities."

Her husband Michael Ballantyne is the vice-president of Aber Diamond Corporation in Yellowknife and has been commuting between the two cities. Now that Ballantyne has a permanent position in Victoria, she hopes he will consider moving south.

Ballantyne is also hoping to apply some of the things she learned while studying gardening.

With Victoria being such a green city, Ballantyne said she thinks there will be plenty of opportunities.