Welcome to Donnelly

 

 

This bustling little community combines the serenity of a rural setting with the advantages of excellent access. The village remains vibrant today, thanks in part to the presence of the Paroisse du Sacre Coeur church, a volunteer fire department and Georges P. Vanier junior/senior high school. A convenience store and post office, complemented by recreation facilities that include the impressive Sportex and baseball diamonds, and gymkhana grounds, round out the list of amenities for residents and visitors alike. People come from near and far to attend the biannual Smoky River Agricultural Fair as well as the annual mud bog.

Donnelly enjoys a strategic location adjacent to the Smoky River regional airport, the CN railway and the junction of two main highways (# 2 and #49).

The core population of Donnelly is approximately 300, with over 400 outlying community members. It has strong French ties, as the majority of settlers were of French Canadian descent.

One of the hallmarks of the community is the societe historique et genealogique de smoky river. The largest Francophone genealogical and historical research centre in Western Canada. Every year, visitors from across Northern Alberta come to peruse its huge collection of genealogical information, classified and preserved, detailing information on the pioneers of this magnificent region.

Even the street signs in Donnelly reflect the character of the village and the great value that is given to its history. As can be seen on some of the pages of this website, each sign has been hand painted by Donnelly resident Jacqueline Cloutier depicting different aspects of life in the Donnelly area.