A part of the former Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, River’s Edge is a mixed-residential neighbourhood on a 16-hectare (42-acre) site that was master planned, rezoned and developed by Canada Lands Company.
Situated near the Garrison Crossing community, River’s Edge encompasses 17.5-hectares (43.2-acres) of land that includes 400 meters (1,312 feet) of waterfront along the Vedder River. The development enabled the construction of 350 new homes and was considered a sustainability leader given the 1.4-hectare (3.4-acre) Tree Park dedicated to open green spaces and “Green Streets” in place of conventional roads to enable cycling and walking. These “Green Streets” not only look beautiful in how they weave through the property like water flowing in a river, but they allow neighbours to have a better sense of community and connection with one another. The “Green Streets” also play a function to help infiltrate rainwater back into the ground, as the streets were built with two large cisterns to capture storm draining water and allow for ease of infiltration. This process helped keep rainwater closer to where it fell to help the overall natural environment of River’s Edge and the Vedder River.
Another example of Canada Lands’ commitment to environmental sustainability was the revitalization and reinforcement of 600 meters (or 1,968 feet) of the Rotary Trail which attracts hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year. Without such a reinforcement, the trail would have remained vulnerable to severe damage from flooding. Canada Lands worked on sections of the Rotary Trail and riverbank setting a new engineering standard along the river by armouring the banks and adding stone stairways to provide access to the water. Canada Lands worked alongside the Department of Fisheries in the planting of additional cedars, firs, spruces and various other deciduous trees along the Rotary Trail to create a natural canopy for the public to enjoy. These natural elements were ultimately dedicated to the City of Chilliwack for parks and recreation purposes.
As a result of it’s successful development, River’s Edge has received notable awards that include:
• The Fraser Valley Commercial Realtor Association’s 2016 Award of Excellence for Multi-Family Development
• The Urban Design Institute’s 2016 Award for Excellence in Urban Design for Multi-Phase Developments
• The Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Award for Developer Excellence