Narrative:

We were en route from alb, NM, at XA45 in the morning, en route to kearney, northeast. We were monitoring WX conditions on flight watch and had talked to them. The WX had severe icing in nebraska. We had not planned on stopping in garden city, but changed our minds to regroup our plans because of WX at our destination. I looked up the approach plate for garden city, it had no change for a tower or frequency change. We were on 123.0 which was unicom. I reported when we were about 10 mi out. No one ever said anything. I reported 2 more times because I saw 2 other aircraft in the pattern. I crossed over the VOR and turned downwind for runway 17. I then was contacted by tower and told to go to 118.15, which I did. I contacted tower at that time. I had no idea that a tower had been activated a couple weeks before. It wasn't in my approach plates. I caused no danger to anyone. It was excellent VFR conditions -- we had both aircraft in sight. I had been in garden city several times and had no idea about a new tower. My concern on this situation is that if the tower is new, why wouldn't you monitor the 123.0 for a few weeks. They would have been able to tell me way in advance of entering traffic pattern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF A PIPER PA32 ENTERED CLASS D AIRSPACE WITHOUT OBTAINING CLRNC FROM TWR DUE TO A NEWLY ESTABLISHED TWR AND RPTR'S APCH PLATE DID NOT REFLECT THE CHANGE.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE FROM ALB, NM, AT XA45 IN THE MORNING, ENRTE TO KEARNEY, NE. WE WERE MONITORING WX CONDITIONS ON FLT WATCH AND HAD TALKED TO THEM. THE WX HAD SEVERE ICING IN NEBRASKA. WE HAD NOT PLANNED ON STOPPING IN GARDEN CITY, BUT CHANGED OUR MINDS TO REGROUP OUR PLANS BECAUSE OF WX AT OUR DEST. I LOOKED UP THE APCH PLATE FOR GARDEN CITY, IT HAD NO CHANGE FOR A TWR OR FREQ CHANGE. WE WERE ON 123.0 WHICH WAS UNICOM. I RPTED WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI OUT. NO ONE EVER SAID ANYTHING. I RPTED 2 MORE TIMES BECAUSE I SAW 2 OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN. I CROSSED OVER THE VOR AND TURNED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17. I THEN WAS CONTACTED BY TWR AND TOLD TO GO TO 118.15, WHICH I DID. I CONTACTED TWR AT THAT TIME. I HAD NO IDEA THAT A TWR HAD BEEN ACTIVATED A COUPLE WKS BEFORE. IT WASN'T IN MY APCH PLATES. I CAUSED NO DANGER TO ANYONE. IT WAS EXCELLENT VFR CONDITIONS -- WE HAD BOTH ACFT IN SIGHT. I HAD BEEN IN GARDEN CITY SEVERAL TIMES AND HAD NO IDEA ABOUT A NEW TWR. MY CONCERN ON THIS SIT IS THAT IF THE TWR IS NEW, WHY WOULDN'T YOU MONITOR THE 123.0 FOR A FEW WKS. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL ME WAY IN ADVANCE OF ENTERING TFC PATTERN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.