Thanks so much, Dan, for sharing this experience and bringing the idea to life.  You are so right... when harnessed constructively and respectfully, the energy and ideas that emanate from the opposing ends of the spectrum can be powerful fodder for change.

It also sounds like YOU might have played a pretty big role in facilitating what could have otherwise been a really frustrating log-jam.  If you're willing, I (and I'll bet lots of others) would love to hear what steps you took to help this conflict deliver such results.