Gander’s new sport multiplex is built to compete

Funding provided through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

Tucked into the heart of Newfoundland and Labrador, Gander has always been the place people across the region turn to for healthcare, education, and opportunity. But for years, sport was the one area where Gander and its neighbours could not keep up. Athletes who dreamed of competing at a high level had no choice but to leave, often travelling hundreds of kilometres to train and compete at facilities that simply did not exist at home.

Hosting major sporting competitions requires infrastructure that meets national and international standards, but the region had the athletes, the passion, and the community desire to make it happen. All it needed was the right investment.

A facility that rises to the occasion

In October 2020, the federal, provincial, and municipal governments made a collective decision to invest in what Gander had long been missing: a state-of-the-art sporting facility that could accommodate large-scale competitions. Each order of government committed more than $2.2 million to the project, creating a sport multiplex that stands alone as the only facility of its kind in Central Newfoundland.

The new facility features a FIFA regulation-sized soccer field, and an eight-lane rubberized running track, built to the exacting standards that national and international competitions demand. It gives Central Newfoundland the infrastructure to host events at a scale the region has never seen before.

The grand opening on June 10, 2025 was a celebration, but the facility had already been making its mark for over a year. In June 2024, before the ribbons were even cut, the field hosted the provincial Special Olympics competition, and the under-13 and under-14 Atlantic soccer championships. The community had waited a long time for a facility like this, and when it arrived, Gander wasted no time putting it to work.

“The new sport multiplex facility in Gander will serve as an important community hub and promote healthy and active lifestyles for many years to come,” said Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries. “The international regulation-sized soccer field and running track will provide residents with access to state-of-the-art recreational infrastructure and the town with the opportunity to showcase their renowned hospitality when hosting tournaments and competitions.”

What it means for the region

The momentum behind the Gander multiplex is already building. Since opening, the facility has welcomed provincial-level competition and is continuing to grow its calendar of events. Gander Town Council has also approved funding for a new scoreboard, demonstrating that the community’s investment in this site is far from finished.

For the athletes who grew up here and never had a proper place to compete, this facility is personal. It means training on a field that respects their dedication, competing in front of their community, and representing Central Newfoundland on a stage that finally measures up. For everyone else, it means a town that can open its doors to the country, and show Gander hospitality at its best.

Quick facts

• Gander serves as a regional hub for healthcare, retail, education, and services for approximately 90,000 people across the central and northeastern region of Newfoundland and Labrador. The new multiplex adds sport and major event hosting to that list.
• The facility’s eight-lane, 400-metre rubberized running track matches the exact standard used at the Olympic Games.
• Soccer is the most popular sport among Canadian children and youth aged 5 to 17, with more than one in four young sport participants playing it nationally. The Gander multiplex gives the region a field built to host matches and competitions of the highest level.

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Date modified:

2026-07-23