Hope's Cradle being installed at Strathmore Fire Station, a first of its kind in Canada
Construction of a Hope's Cradle is set to begin Saturday at the fire station in Strathmore, offering a last resort option for parents who don't feel they are able to care for a newborn.
The impetus for the project came in 2017 after a baby was found abandoned in a Calgary dumpster on Christmas Eve.
"As a new father this hit me pretty hard and it weighed heavy on my mind … and I thought, what can we do to not have this happen anymore?" said Strathmore Fire Department Capt. Eric Alexander during a presentation to town council this week.
"I thought about it and thought about it and a few weeks later another story news aired about Safe Haven baby boxes in the United States … my wife looked at me and said, 'Why don't you guys do that?"
That lead to conversations with Safe Haven, along with officials from the Town of Strathmore and Alberta Health Services.
AHS is supportive, said Alexander, however the provincial health agency won't be involved in the setup or administering of the Hope's Cradle.
After working on the project for more than two years, Alexander was approached by a Calgary-based charity, Gems for Gems, four months ago, which was exploring the same idea.
The program will work similar to Angel's Cradle, which is run by Covenant Health at Grey Nun's Community Hospital and Misericordia Community Hospital in Edmonton.
Considered an anonymous last resort, the door is locked and an alarm triggered when a child is placed in the cradle, explained Gems for Gems CEO Jordan Guildford.
A stamped envelope will also be there for the person leaving the child, allowing them to submit a form about the parent's medical history. Information on resources and supports available will also be in the envelope, along with an option for the mother or parent to write a letter to the child.
"(To explain) her situation, what she hopes for her baby, maybe something about herself, whatever she wants to put in it," said Guildford.
Leaving a baby in a safe place will not result in criminal charges, unless the child is injured.
The cost of installing the Hope's Cradle in Strathmore will be about $20,000, said Guildford, with that amount being split between the charity and the Strathmore Emergency Services Members Association.
Strathmore will be the first fire station in Canada outfitted with a Hope's Cradle, and Guildford says the goal is to expand the program across the country. Construction is expected to be complete by Dec. 18.
Once a baby is left in a Hope's Cradle, the parent has 30 days to contact authorities if they want to change their decision.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.