Greenpeace began in 1971, founded by Dorothy and Irving Stowe in response to nuclear testing in Alaska. Known initially as the “Don’t Make a Wave Committee,” the group quickly gained global recognition for its protests. After Irving Stowe’s passing in 1974, Greenpeace shifted its focus to environmental and animal rights, launching the “Great Whale Conspiracy” campaign. By then, their meetings had outgrown homes, moving to the Kits House.
From September 1974 to January 1975, Kits House hosted Greenpeace’s Wednesday night meetings, where volunteers and activists strategized their new direction. The house was central to Greenpeace’s evolution, providing both space and a community atmosphere. In 1975, Greenpeace launched its first office on 4th Avenue, sharing the space with SPEC (Society for Promoting Environmental Conservation).
SPEC, founded in 1969, had a long-standing relationship with Kits House. In 1976, Kits House began offering garden plots and collaborated with SPEC on a Garden Demonstration Project in 1980. This initiative promoted food production education and fostered community through workshops and gardening cooperatives. By 1983, Kits House helped establish an allotment garden on 6th Avenue, setting the stage for Vancouver’s broader community garden movement.
