"We are all devastated by yesterday's news and our thoughts remain with Parker's family," the city's water services department said in a statement Thursday. In the hours after Wednesday's grim discovery, Google searches spiked in Calgary for what culverts are and the engineering function they serve. Culverts are essential infrastructure for road construction projects, though most people hardly notice the conduits as they drive past, according to Practical Engineering, a YouTube channel devoted to explaining civil engineering concepts. The scene where Parker is believed to have been found in a culvert in seen in Calgary on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Not only can this lead to damage of the roadway, it can be extremely dangerous to motorists and other vehicles."