(Photo contributed)
Shari Porter and Chris Jackman have lots of exciting plans for the Old Confidence Lodge in Riverport.
The Old Confidence Lodge opened in 1929 as a meeting hall of the Oddfellows, an international fraternity. It was then operated by former owner Diego Medina as a recording studio and music venue from 2009 until 2018. Its performance space seats 200 people.
When the pandemic hit, Jackman and Porter were living in Toronto with their son, KJ. During lockdowns, the family spent time in both Newfoundland and northern Ontario with relatives. They enjoyed the more relaxed pace of lifestyle outside of the big city.
“We got back to Toronto in September 2021 and the city had kind of lost its magic for me,” says Porter. She looked up houses for sale on the east coast and came across the perfect listing: the Old Confidence Lodge. Porter and Jackman both have extensive backgrounds in music and theatre, so the idea of running a venue appealed to them.

(Photo contributed)
Now, the Porter-Jackmans, their son, and their seven-month-old baby, Amy, have been living in the Lodge for about a year. And they have plenty of ideas as to how they’re going to use the performance space after its renovations.
“Our plan is to have a summer theatre festival here,” Porter says. They also plan to host a yearly Halloween show and New Year’s Eve party, monthly karaoke and line-dancing, and a theatrical adaptation of the folktale “Stone Soup”.
The Lodge is undergoing renovations to enhance its accessibility. Porter and Jackman hope to re-open the Lodge in time for a Halloween event. In the meantime, they’ve partnered with the Riverport District Community Center to host events.
There is currently a donation page online at gofundme.com where community members can help the Porter-Jackmans get the Old Confidence Lodge up and running again.

(Photo contributed)