Brock University sits on top of the Niagara Escarpment, the great limestone ridge that runs across southern Ontario and gives Niagara its falls. The campus, opened in 1964 and named for the British general killed at Queenston Heights in 1812, has expanded into a serious research university of about 20,000 students.
The Brock Tower at the heart of the campus is visible across most of the city. The trail to the Cairns viewpoint behind the campus opens onto a long view back over St. Catharines, the canal, and Lake Ontario. The grounds connect to the Bruce Trail, the 900-kilometre footpath along the escarpment.