Nat Christie Park

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Sculptures in this park were carved by members of the Stone Sculptures Guild of North America in 1998. All sculptures are carved out of local Paskapoo sandstone. The name Paskapoo comes from the Cree word for “Blind Man,” with the name being used for this type of sandstone due to its abundance near the Blindman River, which runs through Central Alberta.

Images

Nat Christie Park, 14th Street Bridge in the background

Sculpture in Nat Christie Park

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Paskapoo Sandstone is the name of the specific type of sandstone found in the numerous sandstone quarries that were once in operation in Calgary and used in the construction of the vast majority of buildings from the sandstone era. All Paskapoo sandstone is approximately 60 million years old and is formed from sand particles piling on top of one another in large groups and hardening over time into sandstone. Sandstone is highly susceptible to erosion and often has a lifespan of about 100 years after it is quarried. However, through preservation efforts and reinforcement of sandstone with other materials such as concrete, many of the sandstone structures in Calgary have been able to survive into the present day.

Sources

Image Sources(Click to expand)

City of Calgary

Wikimedia commons, davebloggs07