In reaction to the tragic deaths of Leslie Mahaffey and Kristen French, the City of St. Catharines was approached in 1992 to convert an unused piece of roadway into a walking park. With the labour of the Temporary Absence Program and other contractors, the Green Ribbon Trail took shape.  There were many donations from major businesses in St. Catharines.  In September 1996 the trail was dedicated and continues to be open to the public.