Stately and elegant Rodman Hall was originally the private residence of Thomas Rodman Merritt, the fourth son of the Honourable William Hamilton Merritt - the man who built the first Welland Canal. The imposing linestone building was constructed between 1854 and 1863.

Operating as an art gallery since it was acquired by the City of St. Catharines in 1960, Rodman Hall has a permanent collection of approximately 850 works of art by 19th and 20th century Canadian, American and European artists. It presents a year-round exhibition program featuring contemporary, historical, regional, national and international works of art, as well as being a performance venue for Niagara's musicians. In the fall, Rodman Hall welcomes the public to view their fall exhibits at no cost. The facility also runs art classes year round.

A 1975 addition to the building houses the Harris-Godwin Gallery, as well as collection storage, receiving, and preparation areas.

Rodman Hall was acquired by Brock University in 2003. The old house now contains the Hansen Gallery, the board room, art studios and digital art lab, an exhibition catalogue reference library and administrative offices. The former servants' quarters on the third floor have been turned into studios.

On the grounds of Rodman Hall overlooking 12 Mile Creek is the Walker Botanical Garden, a public garden containing an array of exotic and native plantings, an old outdoor wooden amphitheatre, and an arboretum with many different species of trees. The gardens were first imagined and created by English landscape designer Samuel Richardson in 1862. The arboretum was established in 1985 through donations from Walker Industries and with the efforts of the John Howard Society. It wasn't until June 23rd, 1988, that the garden site was officially named the Walker Botanical Garden.

Rodman Hall is easily accessible on foot or bicycle from the downtown core (along the Merritt Trail and across the St. Paul Crescent Bridge) or from west St. Catharines (along the Participark Trail). Rodman Hall introduces you to another facet of the vibrant arts community in Niagara. The grounds are lovely for walks, and the hall itself is a welcoming and an interesting part of Niagara's rich history.

From Toronto:

1. Take QEW towards Niagara

2. Take exit 47 for Ontario Street

3. Turn right at Ontario Street

4. Turn right on St.Paul Street

5. Turn left on Bellevue Terrace

6.Take first left onto St. Paul Crescent

7. Turn right at Rodman Hall Drive.

Hikers and cyclists: Rodman Hall is easily accessible on foot or bicycle from the downtown core (along the Merritt Trail on the east side of 12 Mile Creek, and across the St. Paul Crescent Bridge), or along the former Participark Trail from west St. Catharines. The Laura Secord Legacy Trail also passes the Rodman Hall property.

At its peak, the gardens around Rodman Hall included exotic trees from Europe, China and the Carolinas. Today, the Walker Arboretum includes over 200 plants and shrubs, 15 types of magnolias, a North African cedar (Cedrus atlantica), and one of the largest Empress trees in Canada (Paulownia tomentosa, also known as the Princess Tree or Foxglove Tree (pao tong in Chinese; kiri in Japanese). Some of the other trees include maple trees, birch trees, mulberry trees, and black cherry trees.

The hillside location has a distinct microclimate because of its slope, shelter and proximity to Twelve Mile Creek. Twelve Mile Creek is visible from the Arbororetum and there is a path that will take visitors to it from the gardens.

Brock University

Free, Open to the Public

Rodman Hall
109 St.Paul Crescent
St. Catharines, Ontario
L2S 1M3
Tel (905) 684 2925
Fax 905.682.4733
Email rodmanhall@brocku.ca

Rodman Hall is administered by Brock University.