Chronology of Significant Events that stem From SE 9th & Sherrett:
March, 1996
The T-Hows community gathering place opens and runs for five months until August 19th. By then seeds for next steps had been sown.September 8th, 1996
The initial installation of Share-It Square, the nation's first "intersection repair" project which converts s typical grid intersection back into the community crossroads that had been the center of all village cultural life until the present period of intense cultural disruption.December 13th, 1996
Emerging like a butterfly from within the cocoon of the T-Hows womb space, the winged T-Horse mobile community gathering place is born at Share-It Square, and travels to Pioneer Square at the heart of the city of Portland to begin it's two decade mission to bring the people of Portland together, and then to inspire cities across the country.March 23rd, 1997
The community of Share-It Square celebrates its unanimous victory at the Portland City Council, to legalize the transformation of street intersections back into the community crossroads. Perhaps coincidentally, a comet streaks above during a full lunar eclipse that evening as the Norman Sylvester Band plays into the night.
June 20th, 1997
Inspired by the success of the T-Horse, thousands of people hold Hands Around Portland at high noon on World Peace Day, and The City Repair Project community is born.
1998
Dozens of T-Horse events, the growth of City Repair as a cultural entity, and another Hands Around Portland. Communitecture (or Community Architecture is born).
1999
The T-Pony project results in another, smaller and better-designed T-Horse built by and for homeless teenagers, and dozens more T-Horse events occur across the city. The Governor recognizes Share-It Square with a special award for sustainable community development.
2000
On Earth Day, City Repair's Earth Day Village in Pioneer Square, preceded by another Hands Around Portland event, and the Procession of the Species Parade, and the T-Horse kept riding to dozens more communities. The T-Horse and T-Pony occasionally join. Dignity Village begins, Free Geek is born.
2001
The second intersection is transformed into a community gathering place, called Sunnyside Piazza at SE 33rd & Yamhill. The first major "natural building" in Portland is also built by City Repair, located in the Share-It Square community. The MLC/Couch park Time Sculpture is built, aka "Babyhenge". The Earth Day Village becomes an annual event, occurring in a different part of the city each year from now on. Meanwhile, the T-Horse keeps riding.
2002
Earth Day jumps in scale and the little natural building event of the previous year multiplies into seven all built by separate communities at the same time, and "the Convergence" is born. The Bay City project begins, and the Family Supper/Clark Lewis/Gotham Tavern projects sweep the culinary world.
2003
The annual Earth Day Village now precedes annual The Village Building Convergence (VBC), and this time with eight projects, including two new intersection projects. T-Horse and T-Pony continue, while annual barnstorming speaking tours have begun, starting with the east coast.
2004
With Earth Day rocking, VBC now at twelve projects, T-Horse keeps on. Political support is strong and, as planned, the progressivism of Portland as a whole has accelerated. Annual California speaking tours begin.
2005
Intersection projects are now happening in other cities. Earth Day grows in scale and partnerships while the VBC leaps to eighteen simultaneous community projects. T-Horse continues, speaking tours expand to other cities. The CenterRing Community Center begins.
2006
The most inspiring Earth Day Village yet, and the VBC expands again, to twenty six projects. City Riparian events begin, T-Horse ends, it seems, while speaking tours continue to expand.
2007
Earth Day has become THE progressive, activist community event of the spring, and VBC has leveled at two dozen projects per year. Speaking tours still expanding, while City Riparian becomes annual.
2008
The number of intersection repairs in Portland stands at seventeen, with more than 250 related built projects. Dozens of other cities across the continent have completed similar projects and have deepened their activities. Earth Day involves more activist communities than ever, VBC renews itself at another dozen projects, City Riparian is strong, DePave project begins, and best of all: T-Horse is reborn by a very strong new generation.
