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FTPRE02

Geological Walking Tour - The Building Rocks of Calgary

Leader: Bill Ayrton
Date: May 7, 2008
Max. Attendance: 30 participants
Trip Fee: $125

This interesting half-day tour examines the rocks, sedimentary features and fossils beautifully displayed on the buildings of Calgary. We will also see the building rocks used by our landscapers and sculptors.  The rocks range in age from PreCambrian to Tertiary. They come from as far away as Scandinavia and India and some were even quarried locally. Some of the rocks are igneous, some metamorphic and some sedimentary.  A variety of features can be easily observed in the polished slabs, i.e. fossils, porosity, cross-bedding, euhedral crystals, "scotch-eggs" texture, etc.  Most buildings have their own history and stories and a well-documented guidebook is included.

Geologists, rock-hounds, and fossil collectors will enjoy this general walk-about around downtown Calgary. Anyone interested in the rocks that we walk by everyday and see on the outside of buildings or in the lobbies of high-rise office towers will find this a fascinating way to spend an interesting afternoon. Following this tour you will understand why Calgary is called “the Sandstone City”. This walking tour will end up at a pub with geological significance.