I was wandering around Lower Bankhead recently checking out the remnants of the CP Rail coal mining community which existed there 100 years ago. This town was dismantled and moved back in the 1920's when the mine shut down, and although the structures were all but gone, two things remained: concrete and coal slack heaps. It was the concrete that made me ponder what has become literally the foundation of our society. Laid bare by abandonment, and too expensive and heavy to move, it stood as a monument of man's impact on Banff.

We are often surrounded in covered up concrete without our being aware, which makes visiting societal remains an eye opener as to the role concrete played in its foundations. Concrete is not an inspiring subject matter of photography. On the contrary, its utilitarian nature makes us look away and gloss over its presence. But I think it's a good thing to be aware of concrete and the role it plays in society.