Rusty the Albertosaurus | TELUS Spark Calgary
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RUSTY

You named a dino legend.

Calgary Helped Name a Legend 

For nearly a decade, this giant Albertosaurus watched over Brainasium Outdoor Park without a name. So, in August 2026, Spark asked Calgary to help change that.

Staff, Members, guests, families and dino fans submitted more than 1,200 names online, through social media and at Spark. Spark’s Dino Naming Council selected the final name, with consideration given for kid and family appeal, science and dinosaur connection, Calgary relevance, memorability and community enthusiasm.

Rusty had the winning combination of science, personality, kid appeal and community love.

On August 26, Jurassic Spark campers revealed giant letters spelling R-U-S-T-Y in Brainasium Outdoor Park.

Find the giant 30-foot Albertosaurus, snap a photo and take a closer look. Those rusty pieces of metal have a pretty great science story to tell

Why RUSTY ?

Because it just fits.

Rusty is playful, memorable and easy for even our youngest dino fans to say. But behind that little name is some pretty big science.

Look closely and you’ll see scrap metal, rivets, shapes and a distinctive rust-brown patina that has developed over time.

Which gives us a wonderfully simple question:

Why is Rusty rusty?

There’s chemistry in that answer. There’s also materials science, engineering, recycled metal and art, all built right into this one-of-a-kind Albertosaurus.

That’s what we love about Rusty. One fun name can lead to a whole lot of curiosity.

Meet the Young Dino-Namer

Rusty was clearly on Calgary’s mind. The name came up again and again throughout the contest. But our winner turned out to be one of our youngest dino-namers! Four-year-old Milan submitted Rusty through an Albertosaurus colouring sheet and then joined our celebration with his family and made it official by signing Rusty’s adoption papers with Spark leadership.

Even better? Milan’s family are Members of both TELUS Spark Science Centre and the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Serious dino credentials.

A Calgary Dino With a Story 

Rusty was created by Canadian sculptor Russell Zeid from scrap metal from Alberta and Ontario and was originally commissioned by Chinook Centre for the millennium. 

When CBC Eye Opener interviewed Russell the day after the reveal, they asked what he thought of the name. Russel's replied, "The name is perfect. I was named after my dad’s friend Rusty, and I’ve loved rust ever since. I can't wait to tell my dad."

After becoming a familiar sight at Chinook Centre, the giant Albertosaurus eventually made its way to TELUS Spark, watching over Brainasium Outdoor Park for nearly a decade.

And just to be clear: Rusty is an Albertosaurus, not a T. rex!

Albertosaurus lived in what is now Alberta about 70 million years ago, growing to roughly 30 feet long and weighing around three tonnes.

Welcome to the Spark family, Rusty.

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