'Let's Build This': South Invercargill project needs your love

By Southland Tribune Jul 15 2025

South Invercargill is suffering from a “severe lack of community facilities” despite making up 34% of the city’s population.

Those behind the Grace Street Project are continuing their tireless crusade to help change that through a dramatic transformation of an old chapel in South Invercargill.

The Invercargill Community Connections Charitable Trust (IC2) officially launched the project in 2022 after securing ownership of the former Grace St Chapel building.

The plan is to renovate, rebuild, and modernise the existing building to create a multi-purpose community facility.

At this point $3.6m has been raised, which is about 60% of the overall amount required for the project.

The backing has to date come from various community funders and commercial backers, along with $480,000 from anonymous donors.

Those behind the South Invercargill project are now calling on the wider community to help them reach the required figure to complete the community hub development.

The “Let’s Build This” public fundraising campaign was launched on Tuesday with SIX60’s Chris Mac making a special appearance.

The New Zealand music star, who previously lived in Invercargill, has jumped on board as an ambassador.

“When I was first approached about the project, I had seen these before in communities where there is an obvious gap and there are some issues, and councils, or whatever, just go, here’s a bit of building and chuck a PlayStation in there and say job well done and pat yourself on the back, and think no more problems.

“It never works, and it is always a bit cringy,” Mac said.

“The difference was when I started to hear about the community backing for [The Grace St Project], and the pathways, connections, and engagement, it sounded like a completely different thing, and it got me excited.

“By the end of the meeting, I was on board.”

Some fundraising events have already been confirmed as part of the “Let’s Build This” campaign, which will include all proceeds from the upcoming Southland Party at Parliament in Wellington going to the Grace Street Project.

PlaceMakers Southland also announced on Tuesday that it will donate the money raised from its annual Scooter Challenge next year to the Grace Street Project.

Project chair Janette Malcolm said any fundraising option, big or small, would be welcomed.

“Someone came up to me just before and said I reckon we could do the old-style telethon, and I thought, that is a really good idea.

“It is everything from the bake sale to being sponsored to do things, the sausage sizzles, to anything you can think of,” Malcolm told The Tribune.

Malcolm said South Invercargill needed this project to happen, pointing out South Invercargill had some of the worst poverty and exclusion indicators in the entire country.

“That is not fair. That doesn’t give people any kind of equal shot at life, does it?”

Malcolm said they had plans and the passion to bring the community hub in South Invercargill to life; they just need the public’s support to help get the project across the line.

“Every dollar brings us closer to opening the doors and creating life-changing opportunities for all. This isn’t just another building; it’s infrastructure for hope and a tangible, community-owned platform to lift generations.”

The Grace Street Project invites individuals, families, businesses, and philanthropic organisations to contribute to this transformative initiative. Most donations are eligible for a 33% tax rebate.

“It is everything from the bake sale to being sponsored to do things, the sausage sizzles, to anything you can think of."