'A great place to watch the world go by': Gander airport opens refurbished lounge

Ahead of Come Home Year in Newfoundland and Labrador, Gander's airport is pulling out all the stops, with the official reopening of its illustrious lounge.

Once upon a time, the lounge at Gander International Airport was a stopping point for world travellers and celebrities on the way to their next destination. In recent years, however, the lounge has remained largely dormant.

Airport CEO Reg Wright explained that the opportunity to renovate the space came from what was once considered to be an operational challenge. With a boost in tourism thanks in large part to the smashing success of Come From Away, the Broadway musicalbased on the town's role in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the authority found itselfill-equipped to accommodate such high volumes of traffic.

"We had 700 visiting groups in the summer of 2019, based on the popularity ofCome From Away, the Fogo Island Inn, and tourism in central Newfoundland," said Wright. "The airport clearly wasn't ready to provide a good experience for visitors. At the same time, there was a high demand from people who grew up with this as the backdrop of their youth to get back [to the space]. We felt it was a good chance to attend to both."

Wright saidthe strategy was to take a "light touch" with the facility, noting that every effort was made to keep things the same as they were decades ago. The original furniture, as well as the original colour scheme, have been restored. In addition, exhibits have been added across the mezzanine floor, exploring the airport's history through the stories of those who lived it.

A gallery, community meeting room, gift shop and bar are all part of the new lounge, with a 76-seat heritage theatre expected to be completed later this year.

Gander Mayor Percy Farwellsaidit's fantastic to see the lounge come back to life.

"It's back open to the public, the way it was when I was a kid growing up here," said Farwell. "We would come here on Sunday afternoons on our bicycles, grab an ice cream and watch the world go by. The latest fashions from Paris, or the smell of cigarettes from around the world, listening to all the languages."

The $1.5-million restoration project was announced in August 2019 buttheCOVID-19 pandemic caused numerous delays. Fast-forward nearly three years, and things are back on the right track.

With projects still in development, both Wright and Farwell are excited to share Gander's unique history with generations to come.

"It's a gem," said Farwell. "It's great to see new life being breathed back into it."

Read morefrom CBC Newfoundland and Labrador