YMCA facilities dominate Fitness Australia awards

YMCA managed venues have dominated Fitness Australia's inaugural Health and Fitness Industry Quality Awards, with Macleod Recreation and Fitness Centre in Victoria winning the major award, the Prize for Excellence, for its demonstrated ability in providing high quality service and excellence across its business.

Awarded to a fitness business that has achieved quality customer service and excelled in programs, people, safety and business management; more than 65 nominations were received from fitness businesses across Australia for the Quality Awards.

Presented on Friday (19th October), the Awards promote and celebrate industry excellence and the work the fitness industry does in helping everyday Australians to positively change their lifestyles and improve their health.

Macleod Recreation and Fitness Centre is a medium sized fitness centre that offers services to less than 2,000 customers per annum. Macleod Recreation and Fitness Centre offers a variety of services, which include: childcare service, vacation care to over 400 local families, free weekly under 20's exercise class, gymnastics, dance and martial arts programs.

Fitness Australia Chief Executive Lauretta Stace congratulated the facility, stating "Macleod Recreation and Fitness Centre should be extremely proud of its achievement, the Quality Awards are the highest accolade that our industry can award to a fitness provider and something it can use to demonstrate to its consumers that it is among the very best fitness providers in the country."

For the first time this year, Fitness Australia also awarded 64 businesses with either a Gold, Silver or Bronze Award in recognition of quality standards within their business category size; small, medium and large.

Here Stace explained "the changes to this year's award process recognise that any business can offer a quality experience regardless of size, market share or range of services. The new method of awarding recipients will highlight their strengths and help them identify opportunities for improvement.

"With an ageing population and the rise of chronic conditions in Australia, the fitness industry has a vital role to play in the health of our nation. But with this role comes the responsibility of ensuring that our businesses are providing high quality standards and are looking at ways to continuously improve. Thats what these awards recognise and acknowledge."

The awards also recgonised the City of Sydney, with YMCA-managed Ian Thorpe Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Cook + Phillip Park Aquatic and Fitness Centre receiving Silver awards.

YMCA of Sydney General Manager Richard Price said he was very proud of the achievements of Ian Thorpe Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Cook + Phillip Park and that it was a reflection of the YMCA's commitment to excellence in facility management.

Price explained "in partnership with the City of Sydney, the Y delivers high quality, family-focused programs and services to our local communities and strives for best practice in the management of both centres," he said. "It is great to be recognised for the work put into both these first-class facilities through these prestigious Awards."

In relation to the YMCA of Sydney awards, Lauretta Stace added "the YMCA and City of Sydney should be justifiably proud of their achievements. The Quality Awards are the highest accolade that our industry can award to a fitness provider. The customers of Ian Thorpe Aquatic and Fitness Centre and Cook + Phillip Park Aquatic and Fitness Centre can be confident that they are with one of the very best fitness providers in the country."

Both centres achieved a Silver Award in the medium business category, each having a customer base of less than 2,000.

For more information go to www.fitness.org.au/qualityawards

Image shows the YMCA-managed Ian Thorpe Aquatic Centre in Sydney.

7th September 2012 - DAVID MORGAN ELECTED TO FITNESS AUSTRALIA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS