New YMCA boss looks to leave Village People image behind

Peter Fergusson, the new YMCA chief executive, pictured in the stadium at the Auckland YMCA's Pitt St campus. Photo / Sarah Ivey

The YMCA may be associated with the Village People and dusty old gyms but that is a perception its new Auckland chief executive is planning to change.

The organisation recently appointed a marketing manager to look at the brand and identify what needs to be modernised, chief executive Peter Fergusson said.

Fergusson is responsible for 17 facilities throughout Auckland and the Waikato.

"We are going to focus on marketing and branding. It's an iconic brand. But some people's perception of the YMCA is different. There needs to be more clarity around the brand. We have some signage here that's been here since the 70s."

Fergusson, who has been in the job since November, said the organisation had many facets - the gyms, the basketball stadiums, the youth camps and New Zealand's largest after-school programme.

Tomorrow a central management system will be rolled out through the organisation at a cost of $500,000. It will unify the departments' IT systems and give Fergusson a more holistic view of where the organisation is at.

The YMCA facility in central Auckland was built in 1940 and in 1981 the Village People played in its stadium during their tour.

The gym is set for a major upgrade in April that is expected to be completed by July. Only parts of the gym will be closed during construction.

A $3.5 million upgrade has just been completed on the YMCA's North Shore facilities.

"We're going to try and replicate that here but it takes time and money. There are two arms to the business, there is the commercial side, which works alongside our values of connecting communities and families, and then there is a charity and youth campaigning side."

About 10,000 people are members of the organisation's nine gyms around Auckland and the Waikato, which cater for everyone from bodybuilders to people in their 70s.

There are also three camps, three early childhood centres, two swim schools, 130 hostel beds and 103 hotel rooms.

Fergusson said there was a great sense of community at the YMCA that distinguished it from other gyms.

"If you come in here at 6.30am people will say hello to you. People travel to come to our gyms because it's different."

About 44 per cent of the organisation's revenue is sourced from the gym.

The remainder comes from youth and after-school programmes as well as sports leagues that use the YMCA's facilities.

Fergusson said 95 soccer teams - about 1000 people - used the central Auckland facilities.