The Urban Development Institute has honoured the River District Centre, at the foot of Kerr Street in Vancouver, with its Best Outside the Box award. The centre, which was created by ParkLane Homes to help promote the burgeoning new neighbourhood south of Marine Way between Kerr Street and Boundary Road, includes a drop-in centre for families in a spacious building on the north side of the Fraser River.

The Straight reported in February that the centre includes a children’s library, an Xbox Kinect, and a screen for kids’ movies. There is also weekly yoga instruction and beach volleyball courts nearby in the summer.

ParkLane is preparing the 52.6-hectare site, formerly known as East Fraserlands. Different developers will eventually build 6,000 to 7,000 homes there, which are expected to accommodate approximately 15,000 residents.