The storied hall of Cavillotti Lodge, believed to be in the 60-year-old range. The facility was built by lodge members. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Staying power

Nanaimo’s Felice Cavallotti Lodge celebrates 125 years

Sep 12, 2025 | 5:26 AM

NANAIMO — An organization with an extensive track record serving the Harbour City is celebrating its storied past, while also focusing on significant future change.

Felice Cavallotti Lodge, a cultural organization rooted in Nanaimo’s local Italian community, formed in 1900.

Lodge president Ian Cumpstone told NanaimoNewsNOW they came together generations ago to help Italian coal miners and their families.

“Apart of camaraderie and that sort of thing it was a mutual aid society — that’s how people received money for injuries or accidents caused in the mining industry — that’s basically how it started off,” Cumpstone said, who noted their organization is the second oldest Italian organization in the country.

Undated image of a Felice Cavallotti Lodge gathering. (Submitted photo)

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Cumpstone stated Felice Cavallotti was a well-known Italian politician and poet who assisted local coal miners.

For the past several decades, Cavallotti Hall on East Wellington Rd. has been home to thousands of community bookings, ranging from weddings, fundraisers, corporate and non-profit functions, and service club gatherings.

Even fitness classes and table tennis are staged to this day at the aging facility.

Perhaps the most notable event to date at the the property occurs on Saturday, Oct. 18 when Felice Cavallotti Lodge celebrates its 125th anniversary bash.

“We’ve got 170 people booked and paid coming to the anniversary next month, ticket sales are basically sold out,” Cumpstone said.

Several dignitaries and a choir will be included in the evening, complemented by signature Italian cuisine.

The Consul General of Italy serving western Canada and the Yukon will be at the historic event.

Sausage-making at Cavallotti Lodge has been a longstanding tradition at the Nanaimo hall. (Submitted photo)

Scanning the dated meeting room beside the workhorse hall, Cumpstone shifted to address ambitious ongoing redevelopment plans.

“This old gal is starting to show her age,” he chuckled.

The non-profit society sold two neighbouring lots representing nearly four-and-a-half acres of land to fund a similarly sized new Cavallotti Hall, likely in the range of 8,000 to 10,000 square feet on about 1.1 acres.

Construction is underway on a new Sikh temple at the front of the property, while Cavallotti Hall is placed in the middle, and vacant land with undermined development plans at the property’s rear.

To be located near where the current hall sits, Cumpstone said a modernized facility will be constructed with shovels projected to hit the ground next year.

Construction is underway on a new Sikh temple after Felice Cavallotti Lodge sold off two lots to fund their new future home. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

With a pre-COVID 19 membership of over 300 people, the current membership list is about 145.

A large projector screen and surround sound for large sporting events is among a package of new features aimed at enticing new members, which Cumpstone, a New Zealander, emphasized welcomes people from all nationalities for just $25 a year.

Cumpstone bluntly stated a more desirable venue for younger members is required to sustain Felice Cavalotti Lodge well into the future.

“One of the aims of the new building is to have cooking classes, is to have Italian language classes so we can get back to some of the more cultural and traditional things that are in danger of being lost.”

Exchange programs with Italy is another possibility referenced by Cumpstone.

Current renderings include a full hall, members room, kitchen, bar, library and washrooms.

A bocci court will be built beside the building, representing a longstanding popular summer tradition at the existing lodge.

The new bocci lane may have have a roof installed at some point in the future for year-round enjoyment, Cumpstone said.

He said their society will rent various meeting spaces around Nanaimo during the construction process.

Rendering of the new Cavillotti Lodge, expected to be under construction next year. (Ian Niamath Architecht)

Cumpstone expanded on how planning for significant future change is exciting, but can also be stress-inducing.

“Some of us are probably not always happy with change, especially some of the older members, and that’s always a challenge. That’s something that we collectively have to work on and accept that change is inevitable.”

At 87-years-old, Felice Cavallotti Lodge vice president Philip Fratpietro has been a member for the past 50 years.

He was born in Italy and raised in Ontario.

“Eventually I got a job as a paper maker there and I quit the job just to move to beautiful Nanaimo. I moved there and I worked in construction.”

Fratpietro reflected on his early days with Felice Cavallotti Lodge as a new arrival to Nanaimo connecting with fellow Italians.

“The dances were great. Quite a few old members used to come and have a great time,” Fratpietro said.

Ian Cumpstone (L) and Philip Fratpietro (R) standing in front of the existing Cavallotti Lodge (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Felice Cavallotti Lodge is in the process of digitizing archived pictures and documents, thanks to a Nanaimo Historical Society grant.

Nanaimo based author Anne-Marie Fischer is currently writing a book documenting the history of Felice Cavalotti Lodge.

More information on Felice Cavallotti Lodge can be found on the organization’s website here.

The existing Cavallotti Hall, located at 2060 East Wellington Rd. Felice Cavallotti Lodge regularly supports causes such as B.C. Children’s Hospital, Salvation Army and Canadian Red Cross (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Felice Cavallotti Lodge helped fund the Italian Centennial Fountain at Port Place Shopping Centre (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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