Shari Porter and Chris Jackman, a family with deep roots in the world of music and theatre are making waves in Riverport, N.S., as they breathe life into the historic Old Confidence Lodge that sits along Highway 331.
Their vision is to transform the historic property into a vibrant performing arts and culture venue.
The couple, originally from Ontario, had always wanted to move to the East Coast. They began house hunting during the COVID-19 pandemic when they came across the old assembly hall while house hunting. Porter said it was love at first sight.
“We knew right away that we would live there and make it our dream theatre even space,” beamed Porter.
The family arrived to Riverport in 2022 with the goal of transforming the space and offering a diverse range of arts and cultural events, including live theatre productions, musical theatre, and educational programs.
Much of the assembly hall is renovated to be a recording studio and also has a balcony and stage. Porter said the family will be making additional renovations which will enhance the space and experience.
“We are adding three washrooms, updating our wheelchair ramp and will have to fireproof the ceiling in because we live upstairs,” she said.
Porter describes the arts scene in Riverport as very rich and vibrant. This has resulted in the community welcoming the family and their project.
“I think locals were watching the building, it was on the market for years, to see who was going to buy it hoping that they would keep it as arts related and performance related,” said Porter. “There’s so many people interested in being part of what we’re doing.”
The family envisions a yearly theatre festival in the summers, theatre camps for kids and year-round classes in arts, music and dance. Porter said throughout the year the couple plans on operating as a recording studio, a concert venue, and an events venue.
While Porter and Jackman hope to open the doors to the theatre in time for Halloween, they are experiencing delays due to the renovations.
‘“We’ve already had delays on the money end of things. We’ve partnered with the community centre to run some events for us in the meantime,” added Porter.
So far, the couple has applied for loans and has organized several different fundraisers which has raised $12,000 of their $75,000 goal.
The family is documenting their journey through their Facebook and Instagram accounts.
