For 15 years, public buildings have been required to be handicapped accessible. Over the years, some of the buildings have been updated, and some have not.

To inform the public which buildings are handicapped accessible, the Dakota Center for Assisted Living is awarding businesses the Blue By You award. The first recipient was The Bird House, on 3101 State St.

On Wednesday, Phyllis Morrissey, owner of the Bird House, accepted the award for complying with accessibility issues at the store. There were three areas that needed changing, and Morrissey was quick to make the changes at little cost.

The Bird House didn't have handicapped parking, and the counter tops and bathroom didn't meet the standard requirements.

In a matter of days, a designated handicapped parking spot was added in front of the building. Before, Morrissey would let customers with mobility issues park in front of the building, which isn't designated for parking.

"I have a handicap myself and I know how important it is," she said.

After breaking her hip and having to use a walker for months, she uses handicapped parking daily.

The bathroom was large enough to be a handicapped bathroom, but the sink was too high. Now the bathroom is for employees only. The counter in front of the register was too high, so the store now has a clipboard by the cash register for customers to use.

"We don't close doors -- we open them through creativity," said Lori Heiverg, a social worker at the Dakota Center for Independent Living. Heiverg has been traveling to 18 different counties surveying buildings for accessibility.

"There is this preconceived notion that it will be very costly to become accessible to everyone, but that is not the case," Heiverg said.

Morrissey said the blue striping and three signs for the designated handicap parking spot cost less than $130.

"It wasn't anything too hard or expensive to get done," Morrissey said.

The Dakota Center for Independent Living has three priorities when looking at accessibility in public buildings.

3 Accessible approach and entrance.

People with disabilities should be able to arrive on the site, approach the building, and enter as freely as everyone else. At least one route of travel should be safe and accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities.

3 Access to goods and services.

Ideally, the layout of the building should allow people with disabilities to obtain materials or services without assistance.

3 Accessible restrooms.

When restrooms are open to the public, they should be accessible to people with disabilities.

After a business has passed the survey, it receives a Blue By You window sticker.

"When people see the Blue By You award on the door or in the window of a business, it promotes good customer service and people know this is where they can go," Heiverg said. "Often, people with mobility issues have to send a friend in first to see if they will be able to get in and eat or shop at that place, but this way they see the sticker and they know right away."

Heiverg stresses that being handicapped accessible isn't just for people in wheelchairs or walkers, but also for somebody who has broken a leg and is in a cast or has their hands full of groceries and could use an automatic door to get through at the store.

"People are going to go where it is easy and convenient," Heiverg said.

For more information about the accessibility survey or the ADA, contact the Dakota Center for Independent Living at 222-3636, consumer line 800-489-5013.

(Reach reporter Kayla Cogdill at 250-8251 or kaylacogdill@bismarcktribune.net.)