Nestled along Highway 2 in southern Alberta, Stavely sits roughly 110 kilometres south of Calgary, making it a quiet but well-connected community in the Canadian prairies. The town lies just 16 kilometres east of Willow Creek Provincial Park, with the Pine Coulee Reservoir only 5 kilometres to the west, offering residents and visitors easy access to outdoor recreation and camping. The Clear Lake recreation area, popular for camping and water sports, is located 19 kilometres to the east, while Willow Creek Municipal Park campground sits 16 kilometres west of town. Stavely covers a land area of 1.78 square kilometres, and in the 2021 Census, Statistics Canada recorded a population of 544 residents living in 269 private dwellings, reflecting a modest growth from 541 in 2016 and 505 in 2011. The town carries a population density of approximately 305.6 people per square kilometre.
Stavely takes its name from Alexander Staveley Hill, who served as managing director of the Oxley Ranching Company, a cattle operation founded in 1882 by John R Craig on 100,000 acres of grazing rights. The Canadian Pacific Railway once ran through the community, and its eventual closure led to the loss of nearly all of Stavely’s grain elevators, with only one remaining today. The town celebrated its 100th birthday in 2012. Among its most notable distinctions, Stavely is home to the Stavely Indoor Rodeo, founded in 1929 and recognised as the world’s first indoor rodeo. In 1996, the miniseries In Cold Blood was filmed here. Recreational facilities include the Stavely Golf Club, a 9-hole course that recently converted from sand greens to artificial greens, as well as an arena, archery lanes, a ball diamond, an RV campground, parks, and a local museum. The town’s only school, Stavely Elementary School, serves students from Kindergarten through Grade 6 under the motto Every Child Shines.