Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador

{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Infobox settlement

| official_name = Gander

| native_name =

| settlement_type = Town

| image_skyline =

| image_caption =

| image_flag =

| image_seal = Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador.gif

| image_shield = Gander NFLD coat of arms.png

| motto = "Volet Gander"{{spaces|2}}{{small|(Latin)
"May Gander soar"}}

| pushpin_map = Newfoundland#Canada

| pushpin_label_position = left

| pushpin_map_caption = Location of Gander

| coordinates = {{Coord|48|57|26|N|54|35|19|W|region:CA-NL_type:city|notes={{Cite cgndb|AAHSV|Gander}}|display=inline,title}}

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = Canada

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_type3 = Census division

| subdivision_name1 = Newfoundland and Labrador

| subdivision_name3 = Division No. 6, Newfoundland and Labrador

| established_title = Settled

| established_date = 1936

| established_title2 = Incorporated

| established_date2 = 1958

| government_footnotes =

| government_type = Gander Town Council

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Percy Farwell {{cite web |title=Meet Your Town Council |url=https://www.gandercanada.com/municipal-government/meet-your-town-council/ |publisher=Town of Gander |access-date=21 December 2024}}

| unit_pref =

| area_footnotes =  (2021)

| area_total_km2 = 104.53

| area_urban_km2 = 13.64

| area_metro_km2 = 2,412.67

| area_land_km2 =

| area_water_km2 =

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m = 128

| population_total = 11,880

| population_as_of = 2021

| population_footnotes =

| population_density_km2 = 113.7

| population_urban = 9,918

| population_density_urban_km2 = 727.2

| population_metro = 13,414

| population_density_metro_km2 = 5.6

| population_note =

| postal_code_type = Postal code span

| postal_code = A1V

| area_code = 709

| unemployment_rate =

| website = {{URL|www.gandercanada.com}}

| footnotes =

| timezone = NST

| utc_offset = −03:30

| timezone_DST = NDT

| utc_offset_DST = −02:30

| blank_name = Highways

| blank_info = {{jct|province=NL|TCH|1}}
{{jct|province=NL|NL|330}}

}}

Gander is a town located in the northeastern part of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately {{cvt|40|km}} south of Gander Bay, {{cvt|100|km}} south of Twillingate and {{cvt|90|km}} east of Grand Falls-Windsor. Located on the northeastern shore of Gander Lake, it is the site of Gander International Airport, once an important refuelling stop for transatlantic aircraft. The airport is still a preferred emergency landing point for aircraft facing on-board medical or security issues.

When the U.S. closed its airspace after the September 11 attacks, Gander International Airport took in 38 commercial aircraft and four military aircraft, and accommodated nearly 6,700 evacuees from Olympic Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, British Airways, Alitalia and more.{{Cite news |title=The Capital Of Kindness |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/magazine/wp/2019/09/03/feature/how-a-canadian-region-became-the-capital-of-kindness-and-an-unlikely-tourist-destination/ |access-date=2021-09-20 |newspaper=Washington Post|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Lackey|first=Katharine|title=An oasis of kindness on 9/11: This town welcomed 6,700 strangers amid terror attacks|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2017/09/08/gander-newfoundland-september-11-terror-attacks-kindess-come-from-away/631329001/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2021-09-09|title=Remembering 9/11: The Day Canadian Town Of Gander Opened Its Doors, Hearts To Complete Strangers|url=https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/09/09/remembering-911-gander-opens-doors-hearts/|access-date=2021-09-20|language=en-US}}

Most of the streets in Gander are named after famous aviators, including Alcock and Brown, Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, Marc Garneau and Chuck Yeager.{{Cite web |url=http://www.gandercanada.com/explore_gander/cool_facts.htm |title=Cool Facts |archive-date=25 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725003746/http://www.gandercanada.com/explore_gander/cool_facts.htm }}

History

Gander was chosen for the construction of an airport in 1935 because it is very close to the great circle route between New York and London. In 1936, construction of the base began, and the town started to develop. On 11 January 1938, Captain Douglas Fraser made the first landing at "Newfoundland Airport," now known as Gander International Airport, or "CYQX," in a single-engine biplane, Fox Moth VO-ADE.

During the Second World War, as many as 10,000 Canadian, British and American military personnel resided in Gander. The area became a strategic post for the Air Ferry Command of the Royal Air Force, with approximately 20,000 American- and Canadian-built fighters and bombers stopping at Gander en route to Europe. After the war, the airbase became a civilian airport, and the location of the town was moved a safe distance from the runways. Construction of the present town site began in the 1950s, and the present municipality was incorporated in 1958; the settlement around the airport was eventually abandoned.[https://www.gandercanada.com/en/explore/History.aspx History of Gander] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220202141328/http://www.gandercanada.com/en/explore/History.aspx |date=2022-02-02}}

After the Second World War, the town grew as the airport was used as a refuelling stop for transatlantic flights, earning its name "Cross-roads of the world." Efforts were made to diversify the economy from being dependent on the airport, particularly as new aircraft designs permitted longer-range flights without the need for landing to refuel.

Gander was the site of a major aircraft accident, Arrow Air Flight 1285, on 12 December 1985; 256 people were killed in the disaster, probably caused by ice contamination on the wings, making it the deadliest air crash ever to happen in Canada.

= Assistance following September 11 attacks =

In 2001, Gander International Airport played an integral role in world aviation in the hours immediately following the September 11 attacks when all of North America's airspace was closed by Transport Canada and the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As part of Operation Yellow Ribbon, 38 civilian and 4 military flights bound for the United States were ordered to land at the airport—more flights than any Canadian airport other than Halifax International. More than 6,600 passengers and airline crew members—equivalent to 66% of the local population at the time—were forced to stay in the Gander area for up to six days until airspace was reopened. Gander received the third highest volume of passengers following Operation Yellow Ribbon, behind Vancouver International Airport, which received 8,500, and Halifax International. Residents of Gander and surrounding communities volunteered to house, feed, and entertain the travellers as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. This was largely because Transport Canada and Nav Canada asked that transatlantic flights avoid diverting to major airports in central Canada, such as Toronto Pearson and Montréal-Dorval.

Lufthansa named one of its Airbus A340 (registration D-AIFC{{Cite news |url=http://magazin.lufthansa.com/xx/en/fleet/tell-me-what-your-name-is/ |title=Lufthansa: Identification Codes: Tell me what your name is, |work=Lufthansa magazin |access-date=2018-02-28 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180301225043/http://magazin.lufthansa.com/xx/en/fleet/tell-me-what-your-name-is/ |archive-date=2018-03-01 |url-status=live }}) aircraft Gander/Halifax to thank both cities for their handling of rerouted travellers on 11 September. A book, The Day the World Came to Town, included several stories about Gander's role during that and subsequent days.{{Cite book |last=DeFede |first=Jim |title=The Day the World Came to Town |publisher=HarperCollins (ReganBooks) |year=2002 |isbn=0060513608 |ol=OL274284W }} A radio play, The Day the Planes Came, by Caroline and David Stafford, dealing with the effect on Gander of the 11 September passengers was first broadcast in June 2008 on BBC Radio 4 and was repeated in October 2009.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c5j0n |title=The Day the Planes Came, Afternoon Drama |publisher=BBC Radio 4 |access-date=21 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170308014916/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00c5j0n |archive-date=8 March 2017 |url-status=live }} A TV movie, Diverted, was made in 2009. In February 2010, NBC aired a report by Tom Brokaw covering Gander's part in the grounding of hundreds of planes on 9/11 during coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbxoy4Mges |title=9/11: Operation Yellow Ribbon (Gander, Newfoundland) |publisher=NBC Olympics |access-date=27 Jan 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230002408/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXbxoy4Mges |archive-date=30 December 2018 |url-status=live |via=YouTube }} A musical by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come from Away, which retells the stories of passengers and Newfoundlanders in Gander after Operation Yellow Ribbon, was mounted on Broadway in 2017.{{cite news |last1=Paulson |first1=Michael |title=Justin Trudeau Brings Ivanka Trump to Broadway Show on Welcoming Outsiders |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/15/theater/justin-trudeau-ivanka-trump-broadway-come-from-away.html |access-date=17 March 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=15 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316235215/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/15/theater/justin-trudeau-ivanka-trump-broadway-come-from-away.html |archive-date=16 March 2017 }} The same year, Come from Away was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won the Tony for Best Direction of Musical. The town was also profiled in Moze Mossanen's 2018 documentary film You Are Here.{{cite news |url=https://nowtoronto.com/movies/tv-and-streaming/tv-review-you-are-here-come-from-away/ |title=TV review: You Are Here proves the enduring power of the Come from Away story |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227182028/https://nowtoronto.com/movies/tv-and-streaming/tv-review-you-are-here-come-from-away/ |archive-date=2019-02-27 |work=Now |date=11 September 2018 }} National Geographic Episode 9/11: Control The Skies tells the story of the air traffic controllers, first broadcast on 11 September 2019.{{cite web |url=https://www.natgeotv.com/za/shows/natgeo/9-11-control-the-skies |title=9/11: Control The Skies |publisher=National Geographic |access-date=25 February 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodsoapbox.com/interview-9-11-control-the-skies-tells-story-of-air-traffic-controllers-on-that-fateful-day/ |title=9/11: Control the Skies tells story of air traffic controllers on that fateful day |work=Hollywood Soapbox }}

The Town of Gander continues to pursue business opportunities in the aerospace industry.[https://www.gandercanada.com/en/business/BusinessOpportunities.aspx "GanderCanada.com Business Opportunities"]

Geography

Gander is located {{cvt|310|km}} northwest of the provincial capital of St. John's. Ordovician age shale, slate and greywacke form the underlying bedrock, which is covered by stony loam to silt loam podzolic or gleysolic soil.https://sis.agr.gc.ca/cansis/publications/surveys/nf/nf1/nf1_report.pdf Soil Survey of the Gander-Gambo Area

Demographics

{{Historical populations

|align=right

|1961|5725

|1981|10404

|1991|10339

|1996|10364

|2001|9651

|2006|9951

|2011|11054

|2016|11688

|2021|11880

| footnote = {{cite web |url=http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1967-eng.aspx?opt%3D%2Feng%2F1967%2F196702210189_p.+189.pdf |title=Canada Year Book 1967 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141223151220/http://www66.statcan.gc.ca/eng/acyb_c1967-eng.aspx?opt=%2Feng%2F1967%2F196702210189_p.%20189.pdf |archive-date=2014-12-23 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.citypopulation.de/Canada-Newfoundland.html |title=Canada: Newfoundland and Labrador |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530075105/http://www.citypopulation.de/Canada-Newfoundland.html |archive-date=30 May 2012}}{{cite web |title=Census Profile, 2016 Census Gander, Town [Census subdivision], Newfoundland and Labrador | date=8 February 2017 |url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1006009&Geo2=PR&Code2=10&SearchText=gander&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&TABID=1&type=0 |publisher=Statistics Canada |access-date=19 October 2019}}

}}

In the 2021 Canadian census conducted by Statistics Canada, Gander had a population of 11,880 living in 5,068 of its 5,424 total private dwellings, a change of {{percentage|{{#expr:11880-11688}}|11688|1}} from its 2016 population of 11,688. With a land area of {{cvt|104.53|km2}}, it had a population density of {{Pop density|11880|104.53|km2|sqmi|prec=1}} in 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2021/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&SearchText=Gander&DGUIDlist=2021A00051006009,2021S05100311,2021S0504011&GENDERlist=1,2,3&STATISTIClist=1,4&HEADERlist=0 | title==Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population - Profile table - Gander, Town (T), Newfoundland and Labrador [Census subdivision]; Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador [Population centre]; Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador [Census agglomeration]| publisher=Statistics Canada | date=1 February 2023 | accessdate=8 April 2024}}

As of the 2021 census, the population of Gander was found to be 89.7% white with all visible minorities totalling 2.7% of the population and the Indigenous population totalling 7.5%.

Climate

Gander has a cool to cold humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb). It combines moderately warm and rainy summers with cold and very snowy winters. Due to the maritime influence from the Atlantic Ocean, seasonal changes are slightly less pronounced than in Canada's interior, but still substantial given its near-coastal position. Its average frost-free period runs from June 1 to October 16–136 days.

{{clear}}

{{Weather box

|location = Gander International Airport, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1937–present

|metric first = Y

|single line = Y

|Jan maximum humidex = 16.5

|Feb maximum humidex = 13.4

|Mar maximum humidex = 17.5

|Apr maximum humidex = 24.8

|May maximum humidex = 33.0

|Jun maximum humidex = 40.0

|Jul maximum humidex = 40.4

|Aug maximum humidex = 39.0

|Sep maximum humidex = 34.6

|Oct maximum humidex = 29.8

|Nov maximum humidex = 25.7

|Dec maximum humidex = 18.0

|year maximum humidex = 40.4

|Jan record high C = 14.2

|Feb record high C = 13.4

|Mar record high C = 18.1

|Apr record high C = 22.6

|May record high C = 31.0

|Jun record high C = 33.7

|Jul record high C = 35.6

|Aug record high C = 33.3

|Sep record high C = 29.1

|Oct record high C = 24.7

|Nov record high C = 20.6

|Dec record high C = 15.2

|year record high C = 35.6

|Jan high C = -2.8

|Feb high C = -2.7

|Mar high C = 0.3

|Apr high C = 5.4

|May high C = 11.7

|Jun high C = 17.0

|Jul high C = 21.8

|Aug high C = 21.4

|Sep high C = 16.9

|Oct high C = 10.4

|Nov high C = 5.1

|Dec high C = 0.1

|year high C = 8.7

|Jan mean C = -6.6

|Feb mean C = -6.8

|Mar mean C = -3.8

|Apr mean C = 1.4

|May mean C = 6.7

|Jun mean C = 11.6

|Jul mean C = 16.6

|Aug mean C = 16.6

|Sep mean C = 12.3

|Oct mean C = 6.7

|Nov mean C = 1.8

|Dec mean C = -3.1

|year mean C = 4.5

|Jan low C = -10.4

|Feb low C = -10.9

|Mar low C = -7.7

|Apr low C = -2.7

|May low C = 1.6

|Jun low C = 6.2

|Jul low C = 11.3

|Aug low C = 11.7

|Sep low C = 7.7

|Oct low C = 2.9

|Nov low C = -1.5

|Dec low C = -6.3

|year low C = 0.2

|Jan record low C = -27.2

|Feb record low C = -31.1

|Mar record low C = -28.8

|Apr record low C = -17.6

|May record low C = -8.9

|Jun record low C = -2.8

|Jul record low C = 0.6

|Aug record low C = -1.1

|Sep record low C = -1.7

|Oct record low C = -7.2

|Nov record low C = -15.7

|Dec record low C = -26.1

|year record low C = -31.1

|Jan chill = -43.4

|Feb chill = -46.7

|Mar chill = -44.7

|Apr chill = -29.1

|May chill = -16.7

|Jun chill = -8.7

|Jul chill = 0.0

|Aug chill = 0.0

|Sep chill = -6.5

|Oct chill = -14.9

|Nov chill = -28.0

|Dec chill = -40.2

|year chill = -46.7

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 102.8

|Feb precipitation mm = 91.4

|Mar precipitation mm = 105.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 92.0

|May precipitation mm = 93.8

|Jun precipitation mm = 88.8

|Jul precipitation mm = 105.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 101.7

|Sep precipitation mm = 115.2

|Oct precipitation mm = 119.9

|Nov precipitation mm = 110.1

|Dec precipitation mm = 121.3

|year precipitation mm = 1247.1

|rain colour = green

|Jan rain mm = 26.2

|Feb rain mm = 25.0

|Mar rain mm = 25.4

|Apr rain mm = 51.7

|May rain mm = 78.2

|Jun rain mm = 89.8

|Jul rain mm = 107.2

|Aug rain mm = 106.5

|Sep rain mm = 121.1

|Oct rain mm = 116.0

|Nov rain mm = 80.4

|Dec rain mm = 54.7

|year rain mm = 882.2

|snow colour = green

|Jan snow cm = 97.1

|Feb snow cm = 81.0

|Mar snow cm = 85.5

|Apr snow cm = 45.5

|May snow cm = 10.6

|Jun snow cm = 1.5

|Jul snow cm = 0.0

|Aug snow cm = 0.0

|Sep snow cm = 0.1

|Oct snow cm = 12.4

|Nov snow cm = 29.7

|Dec snow cm = 80.2

|year snow cm = 443.4

|time day = 1500 LST

|humidity colour = green

|Jan humidity = 75.3

|Feb humidity = 71.3

|Mar humidity = 69.4

|Apr humidity = 66.4

|May humidity = 64.6

|Jun humidity = 64.4

|Jul humidity = 63.1

|Aug humidity = 63.8

|Sep humidity = 66.6

|Oct humidity = 72.6

|Nov humidity = 77.6

|Dec humidity = 80.5

|year humidity = 69.6

|unit precipitation days = 0.2 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 20.3

|Feb precipitation days = 17.6

|Mar precipitation days = 19.6

|Apr precipitation days = 17.7

|May precipitation days = 18.9

|Jun precipitation days = 17.4

|Jul precipitation days = 17.5

|Aug precipitation days = 16.0

|Sep precipitation days = 16.2

|Oct precipitation days = 20.4

|Nov precipitation days = 20.0

|Dec precipitation days = 21.6

|year precipitation days = 223.3

|unit rain days = 0.2 mm

|Jan rain days = 7.4

|Feb rain days = 7.1

|Mar rain days = 10.0

|Apr rain days = 12.5

|May rain days = 17.6

|Jun rain days = 17.6

|Jul rain days = 18.0

|Aug rain days = 16.4

|Sep rain days = 17.0

|Oct rain days = 19.9

|Nov rain days = 14.3

|Dec rain days = 10.9

|year rain days= 168.9

|unit snow days = 0.2 cm

|Jan snow days = 18.7

|Feb snow days = 16.9

|Mar snow days = 16.0

|Apr snow days = 10.8

|May snow days = 4.1

|Jun snow days = 0.3

|Jul snow days = 0.0

|Aug snow days = 0.0

|Sep snow days = 0.2

|Oct snow days = 3.5

|Nov snow days = 10.3

|Dec snow days = 17.4

|year snow days = 98.2

|Jan sun = 93.7

|Feb sun = 105.4

|Mar sun = 117.2

|Apr sun = 130.5

|May sun = 163.2

|Jun sun = 183.7

|Jul sun = 218.7

|Aug sun = 208.1

|Sep sun = 148.5

|Oct sun = 110.4

|Nov sun = 72.6

|Dec sun = 72.4

|year sun = 1624.2

|Jan percentsun = 34.6

|Feb percentsun = 36.8

|Mar percentsun = 31.9

|Apr percentsun = 31.8

|May percentsun = 34.5

|Jun percentsun = 38.0

|Jul percentsun = 44.8

|Aug percentsun = 46.7

|Sep percentsun = 39.2

|Oct percentsun = 32.9

|Nov percentsun = 26.3

|Dec percentsun = 28.1

|year percentsun = 35.5

|source 1 = Environment Canada{{cite web

|url = https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnName_1991&txtStationName_1991=gander&searchMethod=contains&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=65000000&dispBack=1

|title = 1991 to 2020 Canadian Climate Normals Data

|publisher = Environment Canada

|access-date= 3 October 2023

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240413011940/https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=65000000&dispBack=0

|archive-date = 2024-04-13}} (sunshine 1981–2010){{cite web

|url=http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/station_metadata_e.html?StnId=6633 |title=Calculation Information for 1981 to 2010 Canadian Normals Data

|publisher=Environment Canada

|access-date=2013-07-09

|url-status=dead

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614090054/http://www.climate.weatheroffice.gc.ca/climate_normals/station_metadata_e.html?StnId=6633

|archive-date=2013-06-14 }}{{cite web

|url=https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_data/daily_data_e.html?hlyRange=2005-07-20%7C2024-06-22&dlyRange=2005-07-13%7C2024-06-21&mlyRange=2005-11-01%7C2007-07-01&StationID=30346&Prov=NL&urlExtension=_e.html&searchType=stnName&optLimit=yearRange&StartYear=1840&EndYear=2024&selRowPerPage=25&Line=0&searchMethod=contains&Month=6&Day=22&txtStationName=gander&timeframe=2&Year=2024

|title=Daily Data Report for June 2024

|publisher=Environment Canada

|access-date=23 June 2024 }}

|date=9 March 2013

}}

Services

=James Paton Memorial Health Centre=

Medical services are provided by the James Paton Memorial Health Centre, on the Trans-Canada Highway. The hospital opened in May 1964 and has undergone many changes since then, making it a prominent hospital in the central region. The hospital has a rated beds capacity of 92.{{Cite web |url=http://www.cehcib.nf.ca/WEB/jpm.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081112052919/http://www.cehcib.nf.ca/WEB/jpm.htm |archive-date=12 November 2008 |title=James Paton Memorial Hospital - Gander |url-status=dead }}

=Gander Public Library=

{{Main|Gander Public Library}}

=Steele Community Centre=

The Steele Community Centre, previously named the Gander Community Centre,{{Cite web|last=Randall|first=Adam|date=July 29, 2016|title=Community Centre renamed in honour of Harry Steele|url=http://www.ganderbeacon.ca/News/Local/2016-07-29/article-4601906/Community-Centre-renamed-in-honour-of-Harry-Steele/1|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730180426/http://www.ganderbeacon.ca/News/Local/2016-07-29/article-4601906/Community-Centre-renamed-in-honour-of-Harry-Steele/1|archive-date=2016-07-30|access-date=|website=The Gander Beacon}} is a multi-purpose venue located on Airport Boulevard. The community centre, owned and operated by the Town of Gander, is used to host trade shows, conferences, sporting events and special events. It is home to the Gander Flyers of the Central West Senior Hockey League.

During Operation Yellow Ribbon, the people of Gander and surrounding communities donated large amounts of food and other supplies for the unexpected visitors. The Gander Community Centre became a giant "walk-in fridge" for the food donations.{{Cite web|last=Bailey|first=Sue|date=2011-08-31|title=Passengers stranded on 9-11 plan return to Gander|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/passengers-stranded-on-9-11-plan-return-to-gander-1.690689|access-date=2020-07-16|website=CTVNews|language=en}}

Planetary nomenclature

In 1991, the International Astronomical Union's Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) officially named a crater on Mars after Gander. Gander Crater lies at latitude 31.5° south, longitude 265.9° west; its diameter is {{cvt|38|km}}.[https://www.gandercanada.com/en/index.aspx - Town of Gander, Nfld.]{{Cite web |url=http://www2.canada.com/globaltv/national/news/story.html?id=489cc554-964e-41ca-b70a-76eac7307af0 |title=A Little Bit of Canada on the Red Planet |date=30 June 2008 |publisher=Global News |archive-date=31 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150331144500/http://www2.canada.com/globaltv/national/news/story.html?id=489cc554-964e-41ca-b70a-76eac7307af0 |url-status=dead }}

Public parks, walking and ski trails

  • Cobbs Pond Rotary Park: a small park located on the northern edge of Gander. Amenities include: picnic area, washrooms, wharf, playground and a {{cvt|3|km}} boardwalk trail. It is also the site of the town’s annual festival, The Festival of Flight, which occurs on the first Monday of August. The site reopened with renovations in 2014.
  • Thomas Howe Demonstration Forest: an interpretive demonstration forest located {{cvt|2|km}} east of Gander on the Trans-Canada Highway. Amenities include: three walking trails with interpretive panels, a picnic area, washrooms and snowshoe trails.
  • Gander Heritage Trails: meander through the streets of old airport sectors where Gander once existed, near Gander International Airport. Look for remnants of old building foundations, benches and interpretive panels.
  • Newfoundland Trailway: the old Canadian National Railway that passed through Gander has been developed for walking, biking, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. Some sections between Cobb’s Pond Rotary Park and the Old Town Site have been paved.
  • The Airport Nordic Ski Club: located {{cvt|3|km}} west of Gander on the Trans Canada Highway. The club has {{cvt|16|km}} of trails groomed for both diagonal stride and skating by a Pisten Bully Groomer, and {{cvt|5.5|km}} of dedicated snowshoe trails. Ski {{cvt|4|km}} of lighted trails nightly from dusk until 10 PM (weather and snow conditions permitting). The club is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization that has hosted a number of provincial events including the KidsFest, Midget and High School Championships.{{cite web |title=Airport Nordic Ski Club |url=https://airportnordic.ca |access-date=19 October 2019}}
  • Gander Heritage Memorial Park: located in central Gander on Airport Boulevard. It holds various monuments to aviators and soldiers from Gander and from elsewhere in Newfoundland, and the town describes it as being "envisaged as a place of quiet thought and contemplation".{{cite web|url=http://gslproject.blogspot.ca/2012/03/gander-heritage-memorial-park-artist.html|title=Gander Schools Legacy Project: The Gander Heritage Memorial Park / Conceptual Sketch|date=14 March 2012 |access-date=21 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815120145/http://gslproject.blogspot.ca/2012/03/gander-heritage-memorial-park-artist.html|archive-date=15 August 2016|url-status=live}} There is a statue of Gander, a Newfoundland dog posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, the "animals' VC", in 2000 for his deeds in World War II,{{cite web|url=http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/dickin-medal-dogs#awards-made-between-2000-ndash-to-date |title=Dickin Medal dogs |publisher=People's Dispensary for Sick Animals |access-date=14 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914181727/http://www.pdsa.org.uk/about-us/animal-bravery-awards/dickin-medal-dogs |archive-date=14 September 2014 }} the first such award in over 50 years.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/animal-vc-will-honour-ganders-dash-for-grenade-710788.html |title='Animal VC' will honour Gander's dash for grenade |last=Judd |first=Terri |work=The Independent |date=16 August 2000 |access-date=15 August 2009}}

Freedom of the Town

In 2017, the 103 Search and Rescue Squadron, RCAF received the Freedom of the Town award.{{cite web|url=http://www.ganderbeacon.ca/news/local/2017/4/26/freedom-of-the-city-parade-being-held-in-gander.html|title=Freedom of the City Parade being held in Gander - The Beacon|website=www.ganderbeacon.ca|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170428152331/http://www.ganderbeacon.ca/news/local/2017/4/26/freedom-of-the-city-parade-being-held-in-gander.html|archive-date=2017-04-28|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/parade-freedom-of-the-city-1.4095394|title=Search and Rescue squadron given 'Freedom of the City' in Gander - CBC News|access-date=2019-05-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170508063908/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/parade-freedom-of-the-city-1.4095394|archive-date=2017-05-08|url-status=live}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite web |url=https://knowledge.aidr.org.au/media/3681/ajem-18-02-12.pdf |title=Helping the other victims of September 11: Gander uses multiple EOCs to deal with 38 diverted flights |date=May 2003 |publisher=The Australian Journal of Emergency Management, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp 108–121 |access-date=2022-04-02}}