Jordan Luck brings musicians together to save shed

When Little River musician Jordan Luck found Todd Tulk grafting away on an ageing, unused community shed it struck a chord with him.

Jordan Luck will spearhead a fundraising concert in Littler River. PHOTO: WARREN BUCKLAND

The weekend before the Covid pandemic took hold, Tulk, the lead instructor at the Little River Jiu-Jitsu Club, was doing work inside the building which the club had purchased in 2018.

Once Luck learned of the voluntary work Tulk was doing, the Exponents frontman suggested a concert to fundraise for the renovations.

“I was working on the floor when Jordan stuck his nose in,” said Tulk.

“We got chatting to work out how to raise some funds and Jordan said ‘let's do a concert’.”

Their plan will finally come to fruition on Saturday when the Jordan Luck Band headlines the first Little River Music Festival in a decade.

It will be staged on Peter and Tracey Wright’s property at 130 Western Valley Rd.

The support acts include Christchurch musician Al Park and his band, plus Adam Hattaway and the Haunters, and recently reformed Little River four-piece The Western Valley Road Band.

A benefit concert hopes to raise money for the restoration of a community shed in Little River owned by the town’s jiu-jitsu club. Photo: Supplied

The musicians volunteered for the event which dovetails with the jiu-jitsu club’s 10th anniversary.

The intention is to restore the corrugated iron shed on Barclays Rd, which has not officially been used due to its condition, so the jiu-jitsu club and other members of the community can utilise it.

"It’s effectively laid dormant,” Tulk said.

The martial arts club currently uses the Little River community hall on Thursdays.

Tulk estimates the complete restoration project, including the addition of a mezzanine floor, will cost about $300,000.

"About $150,000 would be a minimum to make it serviceable. I reckon we’d need double that to actually make it something that’ll last a long time,” he said.

An architect's impression of the renovated shed in Little River. Image: Supplied

Tulk said the goal is for kickboxing, yoga, pilates and gymnastics clubs to also call the shed home once it is spruced up.

"It’s a community shed. It’s about the community this whole project,” he said.

"There’s a lady who wants to set up a weights gym – she’s got all the gear so we’ve got space for that.

"It can be done, but it’s a mission.

"Anyone in their right mind would go bulldoze it, but there’s a lot of history there."

The shed was built by a power pole manufacturing business due to the land’s proximity to a sawmill. It later became the fire station until the new headquarters was built in 1982.

A recycling facility then operated out of the building before it became a joinery workshop.