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 legendary Exponents frontman suggested a concert to fundraise for the renovations.
“We got chatting to work out how to raise some funds and Jordan said ‘let's do a concert’.”
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.
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.
"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.
- For details on the festival and tickets visit festival.littleriver.co.nz
