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People with hearing loss worry and plan how to communicate daily, in every situation. Imagine not being able to understand your flight departure at the airport or the dialogue in a meeting.

Hearing loops bring sound directly into a listener’s telecoil-enabled hearing aids or cochlear implants — giving users the clarity and understanding they otherwise cannot get.

Our county is committed to being a welcoming and accessible destination – with hearing loops installed at our airport, transportation service, hotels, and concert venues. Travel Lane County is playing our part — by providing our hotels, attractions, and venues with hearing loops at a fraction of the cost!

Did you know nearly one out of every five Oregon visitors identify as having accessibility needs?

Unfortunately, one out of every five travelers with accessibility needs has also experienced poor customer service in the past two years.

Many of us can relate to a bad travel experience, as one in every five Americans has traveled with a person who has a disability in the past two years. That’s why there's such broad support from all U.S. travelers in investing in better servicing travelers with disabilities. 

So, What's a Hearing Loop?

 

A hearing loop is an audio device attached to a loop of copper wire — forming a magnetic field.

Individuals with telecoil or colloquial implants standing within this magnetic field or ‘loop’ can swap to their T-coil setting — allowing any audio coming from this connected device to sound crystal clear!

This loop allows users to enjoy conversations, music, or performances to the fullest!

Illustration -- Front Desk Hearing Loop
Illustrating a standard front desk hearing loop installation.

How To Apply

 

Step 1:  Schedule your Assessment

We’ll provide a free assessment by our installation partner, Hearing Support Solutions. We'll schedule the assessment via email, with them taking place shortly after your initial request. Assessments take roughly fifteen minutes to an hour depending on the size of the installation.  

Click here to schedule your free site assessment

Step 2:  Review your Quote

Once your assessment is complete, we'll provide you with a quote outlining the equipment and installation costs. Costs range depending on the size of the installation, with our typical front desk installation being on the low end of the cost. Here's our cost-subsidiary structure:

Graphic -- Program Cost Share -- Loop Lane

Step 3:  Sign Our Agreement Form

We'll include a brief agreement form outlining your portion of the cost based on the structure above — along with a few logistics for day-of installation, including:

-    An authorized representative of the business must be present during the installation of the hearing loop.

-    New staff to be trained on the hearing loop system as part of your future onboarding process.  

We’ll provide a brief training on the system to your authorized representative and other staff and offer additional written and video training afterward.

And it's as simple as that!

Did you know that 93% of people with disabilities don't use a wheelchair?

We've had great engagement from the community so far, with hearing loops located at:

  • The Shedd

  • Shelton McMurphey Johnson House

  • Museum of Natural and Cultural History - University of Oregon

  • Florence Visitor Center

  • Springfield Visitor Center

And the many hotel and lodging partners in our county!

 

Photo -- Testing Audio with Alan and Ruth -- Loop Lane -- 2023
Our installer Alan, testing audio at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.

As of this year, we've had 28 hearing loops installed.

Below are the hotels, attractions, and venues that have installed hearing loops through our Loop Lane program

We’d love to see you participate in this program, as we work to make Lane County a more accessible destination!

 

To Sign-up, Contact:

Connor Nolan

Connor Nolan Destination Development Manager

Phone

541.743.8762

Connor creates products and programs that enhance the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region (Lane County) as a destination. He attends regional and statewide tourism groups to share emerging opportunities across leisure, sports, and convention markets with our community partners. Connor connects stakeholders to Travel Lane County services and statewide tourism programs and collaborates with them on ways to ready their community for growing visitor demand.