Happy Valley-Goose Bay
| Happy Valley-Goose Bay | |||
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| Town | |||
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Goose Bay Labrador in May 2008
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| Motto: "A World of Opportunities" | |||
 Happy Valley-Goose Bay
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| Coordinates: 53°18′07″N 60°25′00″W / 53.30194°N 60.41667°W | |||
| Country |
 Canada
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| Province |
 Newfoundland and Labrador
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| Census division | 10 | ||
| Settled | 1942 | ||
| Incorporated | 1973 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Happy Valley-Goose Bay Town Council | ||
| • Mayor | Jamie Snook | ||
| • MHA | Perry Trimper | ||
| • MP | Yvonne Jones | ||
| • Nunatsiavut Assembly members | Roy Blake Patricia Kemuksigak |
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| Area | |||
| • Total | 305.85 km2 (118.09 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 12 m (39 ft) | ||
| Population (2016) | |||
| • Total | 8,109 | ||
| Time zone | Atlantic Time (UTC-4) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | Atlantic Daylight Time (UTC-3) | ||
| Postal Code Span | A0P | ||
| Area code(s) | 709 | ||
| Highways | Highway 500 | ||
| Website | Official website | ||
Happy Valley-Goose Bay (Inuit: Vâli) is a Canadian town in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Located in the central part of Labrador on the coast of Lake Melville and the Grand River, Happy Valley-Goose Bay is the largest population centre in that region. Incorporated in 1973, it comprises the former town of Happy Valley and the Local Improvement District of Goose Bay. Built on a large sandy plateau in 1941, the town is home to the largest military air base in northeastern North America, CFB Goose Bay.
In the summer of 1941, Eric Fry, an employee of the Canadian Department of Mines and Resources on loan to the Royal Canadian Air Force, selected a large sandy plateau near the mouth of the Goose River to build the Goose Bay Air Force Base. Docking facilities for transportation of goods and personnel were built at Terrington Basin.
Goose Air Base became a landing and refuelling stop for the Atlantic Ferry route. Soon after the site was selected, men from the coast of Labrador began working on the base. With World War II in bloom, it took only five months to build an operational military airport on the leased territory.
The first settlers to the area came from coastal Labrador to work with McNamara Construction Company, which was contracted to build the Goose Bay Air Force Base. Their first choice was Otter Creek, where they were told that it would have been too close to the base. A new location was chosen based upon the requirement to be at least five miles (8 km) from the base. In 1942, a new site was chosen that was first called Refugee Cove; it was not until 1955 that it eventually was renamed Happy Valley.
The first three families to arrive to work at the construction of the base were the Saunders from Davis Inlet, the Broomfields from Big Bay, and the Perraults from Makkovik.
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