Prefer a boundary around a civic centre (6)
I believe the answer is:
favour
'prefer' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'a boundary around a civic centre' is the wordplay.
'a boundary' becomes 'four' (type of score in cricket).
'around' indicates putting letters inside.
'centre' indicates the central letters.
The central letter of 'civic' is 'v'.
'a'+'v'='av'
'four' going around 'av' is 'FAVOUR'.
(Other definitions for favour that I've seen before include "Prefer one over the other" , "'Prefer, lean towards (6)'" , "Goodwill - support" , "Act of goodwill" , "An act of kindness or of preferance" .)