The Town of Stettler council approved 10 specialty accommodations at the Prairie Junction campground, including glass domes, horse carriages and a glamping tent, following a review of the project’s final design by the town’s planning commission.

The Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) unanimously approved the amended development application at its Oct. 16 meeting. The site is Prairie Junction RV Resort on the west side of Stettler.

The approved mix consists of three glass domes, two horse carriages, four PVC domes and one glamping tent. Each unit is assigned to one of 10 sites along the northwest side of the property near the railway.

The decision also permits prefabricated bathrooms and decks for the accommodation sites. 

Only one specialty unit, one deck and one bathroom may be placed on each identified stall.

The campground already has water, sewer and electrical connections at the sites. The applicant plans to add gas service and provide an individual parking space for each unit.

The approval is the latest version of a project that changed several times while the operator pursued tourism funding.

An application approved in May 2025 proposed 10 glamping tents and conversion of the office building into a spa. A later version included tipis, horse carriages, dome tents and future accommodation types, with the spa moved to a large tipi.

The proposal was revised again in May 2026 to nine specialty accommodations and a small spa. The final application followed confirmation of provincial tourism grant funding that did not include a tipi or spa component.

As a result, the development approved this month is limited to the 10 listed accommodation units, their bathrooms and decks. The earlier tipi and spa proposals are not part of the final approval.

The property is in the town’s Commercial Highway District. A recreational facility is a discretionary use in that district, which requires the application to be decided by the Municipal Planning Commission.

Conditions require all specialty units and prefabricated bathrooms to be new construction. The operator must keep the units in good condition and follow the approved site plan.

The owner is responsible for private water and sewer servicing within the development. Any damage to public property caused by construction must also be repaired at the owner’s expense.

The project must comply with the Town of Stettler land-use bylaw, the Alberta Building Code and other applicable laws. A building permit can be issued only after the mandatory 21-day appeal period.

The commission minutes describe the development as a unique visitor experience. For Stettler, the project could broaden the local lodging mix and give travellers another reason to stay overnight rather than pass through the community.

The next steps are the end of the appeal period, issuance of required permits and construction in accordance with the approved plan.