Cyclist Steve Bauer is one of Pelham's great internationally-renowned athletes. This trail recognizes Steve's career in the sport of road cycling, during which he wore the prestigious yellow jersey 14 times over two Tour de France competitions, and won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics.

Some sections of the Steve Bauer Trails parallel existing roads. Others are wooded greenways on unopened road allowances through suburban Fonthill, and one main north-south link is a rail trail, the former Niagara, St. Catharines and Toronto (NS&T) commuter railway line.

This trail system winds through various subdivisions of Fonthill. The rail-trail section of the greenway travels south from Regional Road 20 along the west side of Station Street, passing Pelham Town Square and continuing through a pleasant wooded section south of Port Robinson Road to the Welland border. To the south, the rail-trail section links to the Stop 19 Trail in Welland, which continues as far south as the Welland River.

A sidewalk-based section of the trail network travels west from Pelham Town Square to Pelham Street, then follows Pelham Street to Pancake Lane where it turns and runs west; next it bisects several blocks of subdivision by running south from Shoalts Drive to Quaker Road. Other trail links in western Fonthill join Pelham Street to Welland Road, Spruceside Crescent, and Milburn Road via unopened road allowances and short on-street sections.

To the north, the trail system links to the NS&T Fonthill Spur Trail in Thorold, which continues northeast parallel to Regional Road 20, across Merrittville Highway, through a purpose-built underpass under Highway 406, and over agricultural fields to connect with Beaverdams Road. The trail bed of the section alongside Beaverdams Road is made up of coarse railway ballast, which makes for rough cycling along this stretch, but it is a picturesque ride which will bring you past Mel Swart / Lake Gibson Conservation Park towards the Welland Canal at Beaverdams. Here, you can link up with the Greater Niagara Circle Route to complete a veritable 'Tour de Niagara'.

The rail-trail section once used to be part of the NS&T line that passed through Pelham and connected Niagara under one regional rail-based transit system.

New sections of the Steve Bauer Trail network connect to the Pelham Arena, Harold Black Park, Pelham Corners Park, and Woodstream Park. The Town of Pelham Community Services Brochure lists several features which can be accessed via the trail network, including 4 playground areas, two active parks with baseball diamonds and soccer fields, the Pelham Arena, 3 picnic areas, a boardwalk through a small wetland, and several woodlot trails.

A "Guide to the Steve Bauer Trail System", which includes a full map, is available at Pelham Town Hall.

(from niagaragreenbelt.com)