Good news for the hard of hearing who wish to take in shows at Sudbury Theatre Centre: a newly-installed hearing loop system will make theatre experiences crystal clear every step of the way, from box office to encores.
The hearing loop system was installed at STC by Serge Trottier of Daylight Technologies with support from the Sudbury Branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, making sounds that come with buying tickets and enjoying performances a lot clearer.
Trottier is one of only two trained hearing loop technicians in the province, making the installation exciting and unique.
“We are thrilled to now be fully equipped with a hearing loop system, and not just in this auditorium, but also at our DiBrina Box Office as well,” said STC artistic director John McHenry.
“It's receiving positive feedback all around.”
The “Hear the North” campaign seeks to improve accessibility in churches, schools and businesses. Specifically, the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association hopes these places will consider installing hearing loop systems.
Use and visibility of these systems is common in the United Kingdom, said the Sudbury branch executive director Kim Scott, and although the technology has been around for a long time, Ontario has been slow in adopting it.
“Our worlds become incredibly small because they're not accessible to us, we find ourselves withdrawing, not going out,” said Scott, “We develop a wealth of other health issues along with that shrinking world if we don't address this issue.”
Approximately 40 people from the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association recently attended the Plaid Tidings dress rehearsal at STC. One patron said the experience of picking up tickets at the box office was stress-free and that the sound from the attendant was very clear.
Scott's eyes welled up while describing how clear the audio was for her at an Eagles tribute concert at STC after the hearing loop system was installed. Lack of hearing accessibility kept her from attending a concert for about 30 years.
“The music started, I heard it and then I cried,” Scott said. “Music just means so much to me, to have something like that back was an incredible experience. I'm sure it would be that way for other people as well.”
The loop system consists of a microphone to pick up the spoken word. Then, an amplifier processes the signal which is then sent through the induction loop. Wires are placed around the perimeter of a room to act as an antenna that radiates the magnetic signal to the hearing aid. People with hearing aids or cochlear implants access the clear sound through telecoils within their hearing devices. In short, audio quality from the hearing loop is received directly to a person's hearing device.
Eighty per cent of all hearing aids come with a telecoil, but some people may need to see their hearing specialist to have the telecoil activated.
The Sudbury branch of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association has plans to bring the hearing loop system to more businesses and facilities in the north.
“You're going to be hearing a lot from us in the upcoming years,” Scott said. “This is not something that's short-term.”
