Since 1997, memberships at Hume’s leisure services facilities have doubled. This is thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign and the tailoring of services to suit community needs.
Manager Leisure Services Peter Utri said the increase has occurred with the focus on leisure facilities moving away from the body builder image to an image which encompasses everyone.
Council has a two pronged approach to attract people to the facilities. “First we undertook to bring our service into the 1990s,” he said. “We introduced cardiotheatres and gave people the means to design their own exercise programs.
“Second, we introduced a number of new programs to the facilities. Special program space has been allocated for those who might be intimidated in broader company, while aquatic programs such as learn to swim programs have been modified to cater for a greater number of ability levels.”
A ‘Jolly Joeys’ program has been introduced to four major centres. This provides a cheap alternative to three year old kindergarten.
Family/disabled persons’ change rooms have been introduced at swimming centres to assist those in our community who have special needs.
To offset a serious shortage of swimming teachers a free Auswim course was conducted. Some 35 people undertaking the course included many people who, though interested in pursuing a career in aquatic recreation, could not otherwise have afforded it.
In return, they spent their training periods working at Hume’s facilities. Many are now working for the service on a regular basis.
Apart from modifying courses to accommodate multiple needs, a new style of facilities marketing has been put in place. “We introduced a planned approach to marketing, including putting more resources towards it,” Peter Utri said. “We moved away from the ‘clip art’ level of production in our brochures, employing graphic designers to produce attractive, attention grabbing high quality information.
“For the future, Hume is looking to creating further partnership programs with other organisations in the City. “Council is negotiating with the local Broadmeadows Hospital. Successful negotiations will enable public access to its under utilised hydrotherapy pool. Staffing requirements will be provided by Hume City Council’s leisure staff.
“Our market research shows us that the turnaround in the service’s membership is due to greater guest accessibility, and to staff who have initiated positive changes to service delivery consequently improving people’s impression of the services we offer.”
The City’s Sunbury Aquatic Centre recently won two awards as the Favourite Health/Fitness/Sport Centre in Council’s Business Awards and was nominated in the Leader Newspaper Business Awards voted for by ratepayers.
