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Before becoming lead engineer for the world’s most recognizable rideshare company, Conrad Whelan was just a kid growing up in Calgary who loved visiting the library.

After making his fortune at Uber, he left the company in 2016 and has been looking to begin his “philanthropy journey,” deciding the best place to start is his old hometown by donating $5 million to the Calgary Public Library Foundation.

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In return, the foundation has christened the new Central Library’s concert venue the Patricia A. Whelan Performance Hall, named after Whelan’s mother who died last year.

“She always got us reading a lot,” Whelan said while reflecting on childhood memories of going to the library with his late mother.

“Reading is still a big part of my life. I love books so, for me, libraries hold such a special place in my heart.”

He said the timing of the new library’s opening was the perfect opportunity to honour his mother’s memory while giving back to the community he grew up in.