City Repair

www.cityrepair.org/wiki.php/about
Check out what's happening in Portland, Oregon.

I had the opportunity to meet the organizers of City Repair at the Natural Building Colloquium in Kerville, Texas last fall.

They told this story during their presentation:

There once was an intersection in a relatively quiet neighborhood just outside of downtown Portland, Oregon where all four of the corner houses were owned by friendly people who got along with each other quite well. They would stand outside in the evening engaged in all sorts of intelligent conversation, just shooting the shit like friendly neighbors used to do all the time. There were plenty of other nice people who also lived in the neighborhood, and the occupants of the corner houses were well acquainted with many of their friendly neighbors.

One day the occupants of the corner houses decided that they were sick of all the unfamiliar cars that would come barreling through the intersection at all hours of the day. They were also disturbed by the lack of shared public space in which to get to know each other and there neighbors.

So they decided to do something about it. First, they petitioned the city to allow them to make certain changes to the intersection. Then they began to build a public square in their own front yards, installing beautiful hand sculpted benches of cob, a teahouse that would be accessible at all hours, and picnic tables for neighbors to share meals together. When their neighbors saw what the people on the corners had done, they began to gravitate toward the square even more frequently then they had before.

Now the issue of the speeding traffic had become a serious problem, due to the increased foot traffic in the area. The city had denied the people the right to make any changes to the intersection they occupied. So, against the will of city hall, the four corner occupants decided to shut down the intersection one sunday morning, and they invited all of their neighbors to the square for a feast and a party. They brought tons of brightly colored paints and enough brushes for everyone to share in their plot. Soon, a huge, brilliantly colored mandala began to appear.

And soon after, the cops began to appear as well. Due to some strange luck, or perhaps to intentional design on the part of the clever corner occupants, the occifers that appeared were also acquainted with the many friendly people in this neighborhood. They took a look at the intersection, saw the happy faces of scores of neighbors engaged in a shared creative act, realized that what was emerging was actually quite gorgeous. So, against what many would consider better judgment, they got into their squad cars and drove away.

When the city discovered what the people had done, they were at first outraged, then confused, and eventually it was established that the traffic was actually slowing down to enjoy the beauty of the public square that the corner occupants had designed. Crime in the area had fallen significantly. Everyone knew each other and knew exactly who was supposed to be in the area. No one was going to be passing through the area without being acknowledged, perhaps even addressed, by just about everyone they passed. The city was so impressed with the outcome that they began to finance similar projects in other neighborhoods throughout Portland.