As a nine-year-old, Alvin Libin enthusiastically used the gift of a new bicycle to deliver bread for the family business.
'He loved working with his dad and older brother — (in his mind) he wasn’t going to the coal mine,' said Sydney Sharpe, who authored the 2023 biography of Libin, From the Heart.
It was the genesis of the Calgarian’s evolution into a Calgary entrepreneurial titan and philanthropic juggernaut, whose death at the age of 95 was announced Monday.
But it’s not the end of Libin’s story — he left too much of a legacy for that, say those who knew and loved him.
'People don’t know they’ve benefitted from his vision, energy and generosity,' said Sharpe.
Early Life and Family Roots
Libin’s parents, Norman and Ethel, emigrated from Russia’s Chernigov County to escape anti-Semitic pogroms that were rife under Tsarist rule.
'They could have lived anywhere and anywhere was Calgary,' said Sharpe. '(Norman) had an incredible passion for Calgary and so did Alvin.'
The close-knit family would branch out into finance, groceries, long-term care and hotels, with Alvin becoming a partner in the International Hotel downtown and the Carriage House Inn on Macleod Trail.
Hockey and Community Involvement
In 1994, he joined the Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp., saying 'it was an opportunity to get involved,' said Sharpe, adding he never professed to have any deep roots in hockey.
'He said, ‘I could barely skate, so let’s just say I’m not a good hockey player.''
But he went to bat for the team during its darker days, appealing to Calgarians for their support, said the author.
And he literally never stopped working, said Sharpe. 'He went to the office nearly every day of his entire (working) life into his 90s.'
Building and Giving
His wide contributions to the community are likely best-known by his financial support for the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta.
That visionary generosity through the Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation extended to medical research and the University of Calgary, to name a few, but he shied away from accolades, said cousin Phil Libin.
'He was just a humble guy who knew what he wanted to do and did it,' said Phil, 89. 'He had a lot of foresight but he never took a lot of credit or publicity.'
Alvin Libin was also a philanthropist for the city’s Jewish community and at one time headed the Calgary Jewish Community Council.
'I take pride in saying Alvin Libin was my cousin . . . I miss him very, very much,' said Phil, who spent his earliest years close to his cousin.
Working hard as a means of helping the community was a central philosophy for Alvin Libin, said both Phil and author Sharpe.
'He built and he gave — to him, living is building and giving,' said Sharpe, who also touched on Libin’s humility.
