ABOUT GANDER
The town of Gander was once known as the “Crossroads of the World,” due to its perfectly positioned airport. Once the largest on earth, with runways big enough to land the space shuttle, it was a strategic location for refueling and a bustling center during wartimes.
In the pioneering days of air travel after the Second World War, it wasn’t possible to make the journey from North America to Europe without a refueling stop at the Gander airport. This strategic location meant investment and maintenance well after longer-range jets could make the flight without stopping by. Gander is home to Gander International Airport and 9 Wing CFB Gander which includes 103 Search and Rescue Squadron.
Once a hotspot for people-watching (Sinatra apparently had a drink at the bar, and Castro was known to stop by on his way to Moscow), the airport is a time capsule of a particular 1950s design aesthetic, and considered a valuable piece of Canada’s architectural heritage.
According to the Newfoundland Tourist Bureau, the Town of Gander is a modern and progressive community, a preferred service center for more than 80,000 people in some 130 communities within a 100km radius. The 2021 Census population for Gander was 11,890. This represents an increase of 1.7% since 2016 (11,890 in 2021, up from 11,690). Over the same period, the entire province experienced a population decrease of 1.8% since 2016 (510,550 in 2021, down from 519,715). The median age in Gander was 45 in 2021. The 2021 median age in Newfoundland and Labrador was 48. The Town supports and operates many parks, hiking trails, playgrounds and recreational programs year-round. Major facilities include a multipurpose hockey arena, a curling club and an 18-hole golf course that sprawls over a pristine country setting. Nearby Gander River is a world class waterway offering thrilling adventures and superb angling. Gander Lake, the town’s water supply, provides the cleanest drinking water in the Province.
Gander’s main economic industries include transportation, communications, education, public administration and defense. More than 350 storefront businesses have made their home in Gander with an additional 80+ enterprises registered in the home-based business sector. Retail sales in the Town of Gander are estimated to be 2.5 times the national average for communities of comparable size and are fast approaching half a billion dollars annually.
Newfoundland and Labrador has an area of 405,720 square kilometers. It is more than three times the total area of the Maritime Provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island) and we're almost one-and-three-quarter times the size of Great Britain. The island of Newfoundland covers an area of 111,390 square kilometers, while Labrador has an area of 294,330 square kilometers. (Newfoundland Tourist Bureau)
KISSING THE COD
Getting Screeched-In is an initiation to become an honorary Newfoundlander. It’s their way of welcoming “Come from Away” people to the province.
Getting “Screeched In” is a ceremony in which the initiate recites a verse, eats a piece of bologna (Newfoundland steak lol) takes a shot of screech, and kisses a cod. The participant then gets a certificate declaring their honorary Newfoundlander status.
Learn more about the ceremony, and the best places to visit when you're in Newfoundland.
THE PEOPLE OF GANDER
The unique culture of Newfoundland and Labrador is a product of our English, Irish, French, and Indigenous heritage. This province’s history is rich with stories and legends, explorers, and inventors.
For thousands of years, Indigenous groups such as the Maritime Archaic Indians and the Palaeo-Eskimo hunted, fished, and settled in the province, mostly in the southern Labrador area. Vikings visited here at the beginning of the last millennium, but European visitation didn’t begin in earnest until John Cabot’s voyage in 1497. They fished the rich waters off the coast – first during annual visits, and then creating French and English colonies in the province. The English colony included St. John’s – one of the oldest cities in North America; its streets and architecture might be the best expression you’ll see of the creative spirit that founded the province. Newfoundland and Labrador remained under British rule until joining Canada in 1949. In the 21st century, the province is benefitting from offshore oil production, creating a new bond with the ocean that has sustained it for so long.
The Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage Website is an ambitious public history project that aims to provide school students and the general public with a wide range of authoritative information on the province's history, culture, and geography. It is based at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Faculty, graduate students, and professional writers contribute articles, while undergraduate students provide support as research assistants. Click the image to visit the site.
