Roncesvalles (or Roncesvalles Village or Roncy Village) is a neighbourhood in the city of
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada, centred on
Roncesvalles Avenue
Roncesvalles Avenue is a north–south minor arterial street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It begins at the intersection of Queen Street West, King Street West and the Queensway running north to Dundas Street West. At its southern starting point ...
, a north–south street leading from the intersection of
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
and
Queen Streets to the south, north to
Dundas Street West
Dundas Street is a major historic arterial road in Ontario, Canada. The road connects the city of Toronto with its western suburbs and several cities in southwestern Ontario. Three provincial highways— 2, 5, and 99—followed long sections ...
, a distance of roughly 1.5 kilometres. It is located east of
High Park
High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. High Park is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One-third of the park remains ...
, north of
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
, in the
Parkdale–High Park provincial and federal ridings and the municipal Ward 14. Its informal boundaries are High Park to the west, Bloor Street West to the north, Lake Ontario/Queen Street West to the south and Lansdowne Avenue/rail corridor to the east. Originally known as "Howard Park", most of this area was formerly within the boundaries of
Parkdale and
Brockton villages and was annexed into Toronto in the 1880s.
Culturally, the area is known as the centre of the
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
community in Toronto with prominent Polish institutions, businesses and St Casimir's Catholic Church located on Roncesvalles Avenue. The businesses along Roncesvalles have formed the Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Area and hold the largest Polish Festival in North America, which takes place every September.
Character
The neighbourhood is predominantly residential, with a commercial strip the full length of Roncesvalles, composed predominantly of small businesses, churches and institutions. To the west of Roncesvalles, the area is nearly completely residential except for
St. Joseph's Health Centre
St. Joseph's Health Centre is a large Catholic teaching hospital in western Toronto, Ontario. It is located west of downtown Toronto, along the Lake Ontario shore at the intersection of The Queensway and Sunnyside Avenue, just west of Roncesvalle ...
and a
Toronto Transit Commission
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest ...
(TTC)
streetcar
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...
barn. East of Roncesvalles along the CN and CP rail lines is an older industrial area that is in transition. Several of the buildings along Sorauren Avenue have been converted into loft-style condominiums. At one time a large TTC bus garage was located along Sorauren Avenue; this property has been converted into
Sorauren Park. Two other old industrial buildings along Wabash are owned by the City of Toronto, and are slated for a future community centre project. One of the buildings currently serves as a clubhouse for the Park.
The City of Toronto defines three official neighbourhoods as having boundaries with Roncesvalles Avenue. To the west, the official neighbourhood is High Park-Swansea. To the east, the official neighbourhood is named "Roncesvalles" – often referred to as "Roncy". To the southeast of Roncesvalles Avenue is "South Parkdale".
History
![HighParkSunnysideHouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/72/HighParkSunnysideHouse.jpg)
Toronto's first highway to the west was
Dundas Street starting at Queen Street along today's Ossington and west along its current path west to Dundas (near Hamilton). While Toronto's boundary was Dufferin Street, a very early village mostly built around hotels sprang up along Dundas just before it met Ossington and entered Toronto; this was Brockton. The Subdivision of land for Brockton included the portion of the neighbourhood east of what is now Roncesvalles Avenue.
although little of this was built on. The rest of what is now the Roncesvalles neighbourhood began as farm lots given to Toronto's prominent Ridout family and the architect
John George Howard
John George Howard (born John Corby; July 27, 1803 – February 3, 1890) was the official surveyor and civil engineer for the government of Toronto in Upper Canada and later Canada. He was also the first professional architect in Toronto. He d ...
.
These men had careers in the city so little was done with their farmland most of which was never even cleared of the natural forest. Two houses were built by John Howard on these farms: Sunnyside (where St. Joseph's Hospital is now), and
Colborne Lodge
Colborne Lodge is a historic house museum located in an 1836 home in Toronto's High Park. John George Howard, an architect, engineer and prominent Toronto citizen, built this house, which became the property of the city following his death in 189 ...
(Mr. Howard's own cottage built 1837) in what is now High Park. A path running through Sunnyside Farm was an Indigenous trail (now Indian Road) thought to have originally been an ancient
Mississauga Indian path, leading from Lake Ontario north. In the 1850s, concurrent with the building of the railway, the central part of Brockton was separated from the Roncesvalles subdivided lands except for a small strip along Dundas between the railway and Bloor.
In 1850,
Colonel O'Hara acquired the land north of Queen from Roncesvalles Avenue to just east of Lansdowne Avenue. In 1874, Colonel O'Hara died and his land was subdivided. Following the subdivision of two other farms south of Queen, a new village rapidly took shape and in 1879 was incorporated, despite protests by the City of Toronto, as the Village of
Parkdale. The subdivision of O'Hara's land and the streets laid out after his death had names related to his family, largely superseded the Brockton subdivision south of the railway between Roncesvalles and Sorauren. Development in Parkdale crept up Sorauren Ave and there was even some building on Roncesvalles Avenue before a series of annexations brought Parkdale (1889), Brockton (1884) and the surrounding farmland (including Sunnyside farm) into the City of Toronto. In all there were 13 separate annexations by the City of Toronto between 1883 and 1893.
[City of Toronto Map showing annexations; City Engineering Department, 1967, City of Toronto Archives, published in Also ]
![RoncesvallesOldCarHouse](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/RoncesvallesOldCarHouse.jpg)
When Parkdale was annexed to Toronto, streets were laid out or extended to Keele Street (the section south of Bloor was later renamed Parkside Drive) and the street grid took the shape it has to this day. In the 1890s, the intersection of Roncesvalles and Queen became more important as a Lake Shore streetcar line was built, enabling commuting to the west. A streetcar yard was added at the intersection in 1895. The Sunnyside railway station at the intersection was opened in 1912.
![RoncesvallesHowardParkSchool](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/RoncesvallesHowardParkSchool.jpg)
At the turn of the 20th century, the first school was built in the neighbourhood, the Old Howard Park school on Boustead Avenue. Although a number of Victorian homes had already been built extending north from Parkdale, the neighbourhood was largely built from 1900 until the First World War with almost all houses built in the
'foursquare' style. Originally these homes were designed for the middle class while wealthier homes were found in Parkdale. Also at this time, the first four
Carnegie Libraries were opened in Toronto. Apart from the Central Library all (three) libraries were identical, one of them being the High Park branch on Roncesvalles Avenue. The three original churches were also built at this time; St Vincent de Paul (Roman Catholic), St Jude's (Anglican) and Howard Park Emmanuel (United Church). In the later years of its development, Roncesvalles began to attract some wealthier families and many impressive homes were built from 1910 to 1930 on High Park Gardens and High Park Boulevard.
The lakefront was developed by the
Toronto Harbour Commission
The Toronto Harbour Commission (THC) was a joint federal-municipal government agency based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The agency managed Toronto Harbour as well as being responsible for major works along the Toronto waterfront. It built both ...
in the 1910s, leading to the development of the
Sunnyside Beach and Amusement Park in 1922. Its popularity spurred development of the area commercially. The foot of Roncesvalles became a commercial and transportation hub, with a train station, a bus depot and the streetcar loop. The Park was demolished for the
Gardiner Expressway
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, commonly known as the Gardiner Expressway or simply the Gardiner, is a partially at grade and elevated municipal expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running close to the shore of Lake Ontario, it extends ...
project in 1955 and the Sunnyside intersection bypassed, leading to a decline in commerce and residential values in the area. The wealthy moved away from the area to newer suburbs further west and many large local homes were divided into apartments. However, Roncesvalles has remained largely middle class, attracting an influx of successful immigrants especially from Poland reversing the relationship between Roncesvalles and Parkdale. St Casimir's Catholic Parish was established in 1944. The construction of the church and church hall began in 1948 and was completed in 1954 by which time the Polish community had become well established in the area. It was the construction of the church that attracted the Polish immigrants to the immediate area.
Street names
These names are attributed to Walter O'Hara:
* Roncesvalles Avenue,- O'Hara named it after the
Battle of Roncesvalles
The Battle of Roncevaux Pass ( French and English spelling, ''Roncesvalles'' in Spanish, ''Orreaga'' in Basque) in 778 saw a large force of Basques ambush a part of Charlemagne's army in Roncevaux Pass, a high mountain pass in the Pyrenees on th ...
which took place in the
Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles ( , ; eu, Orreaga ; an, Ronzesbals ; french: Roncevaux ) is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain. It is situated on the small river Urrobi at an altitude of some in the Pyrenees, about from the French bor ...
gorge in
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
in 1813 in which he led a regiment that fought against the retreating army of
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
.
* Alhambra Avenue, after the palace in Spain,
* Constance Street, after his daughter,
* Fermanagh Avenue, after the county of his birth in Ireland,
* Geoffrey Street, after a son,
* Marion Street, after his wife, and
* Sorauren Avenue, is named after the
Battle of Sorauren
The Battle of Sorauren was part of a series of engagements in late July 1813 called the Battle of the Pyrenees in which a combined British and Portuguese force under Sir Arthur Wellesley held off Marshal Soult's French forces attempting t ...
at which Col. O'Hara was present.
Fern Avenue used to be named Ruth Avenue, after his daughter and Grenadier Road used to be named Walter Avenue, after another son. The streets O'Hara Avenue and West Lodge Avenue both to the east were laid out and named after O'Hara's death.
Other street names have historical connections:
*Sunnyside Ave, Parkside Dr, Colborne Lodge Drive (in High Park), Howard Park Avenue, High Park Gardens, High Park Boulevard, High Park Ave (in the High Park neighbourhood) – all relate to John Howard.
* Grenadier Road – (Grenadiers from Fort York were the first regular users of High Park).
* Indian Road, Indian Grove, Indian Road Crescent, Indian Valley Crescent, Indian Trail and Algonquin Ave – all named after the old native path.
* Ridout Street – the Ridout family, which owned property in the north-west vicinity of High Park.
Culture
The area has a highly developed history of political and community participation. There are several established community associations active. The High Park Residents' Association represents the area south of Bloor Street between Parkside Drive and Roncesvalles Avenue south to High Park Boulevard. The Sunnyside Community Association represents the area directly south of High Park Boulevard between Parkside and Roncesvalles, south to Lake Ontario. The Roncesvalles-MacDonnell Residents' Association represents the area east of Roncesvalles from Bloor south to Queen Street, east of Roncesvalles, south of the railway lines, west of Lansdowne Avenue.
In 2012, Roncesvalles was named as one of eight finalists in the "Canadian Institute of Planners’ (CIP) Great Places in Canada" contest, and the only neighbourhood from Toronto. From a poll of 200,000 votes nationwide, 90 neighbourhoods were nominated. A panel of planners reduced the list to 21 and Roncesvalles survived a second cut to make it to the top eight. According to CIP President Andrea Gabor: "in Roncesvalles, people can bike in or get on a streetcar, so they still feel like part of the city and connected to the downtown ... I think it embodies a lot of what people want when they’re living in the city."
Arts
![Revue-cinema-2007-10-18](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Revue-cinema-2007-10-18.jpg)
The popular
repertory
A repertory theatre is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation.
United Kingdom
Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing ...
movie theatre
Revue Cinema
The Revue Cinema is a cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built between late-1911 and early-1912, it is a designated 'heritage' site and is Toronto's oldest standing movie theatre in use for showing movies. When news of its closure became public, a ...
, at the intersection of Roncesvalles and Howard Park Avenue first opened its doors in 1911. It closed for a year as part of the dissolution of the Festival Cinemas chain. It reopened as a non-profit operation of the Revue Film Society. The Society laboured for a year to find a way to reopen the Revue, and partnered with a local couple who purchased the theatre and now leases it to the Society.
Another theatre, the Brighton, closed in the mid-1980s. It is in use as a convenience store, although it has not been renovated, other than its marquee signage removed.
The area has several bars and restaurants with live music. ''Gate 403'', located at 403 Roncesvalles is a jazz bar with live music daily. ''The Local'' pub offers live music daily. ''Inter Steer'' offers live music twice a week. ''Loons Restaurant & Pub'' offers live music on Friday nights. ''Latinada'', on Bloor Street west of Dundas, is a Tapas bar with live music. Zagłoba restaurant also offers live music. On Dundas Street just north of Roncesvalles, ''
Hugh's Room
Hugh's Room is a restaurant and live music venue in Toronto, Ontario. '' books folk, jazz and blues daily.
Annually in June, the "Roncy Rocks" one-day music and art show is held outdoors along Roncesvalles. Several side streets off Roncesvalles are closed and musical stages and art displays installed. Musicians and artists are mostly local to the community.
In 2018, the
Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada
The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (MOCA), formerly known as the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), is a museum and art gallery in Toronto, Ontario. It is an independent, registered charitable organization.[ ...]
moved to a location in the former Tower Building nearby on Sterling Road. There are several independent art galleries on Dundas Street West between Sorauren Avenue and Roncesvalles.
Polish community
The street has long been known as the cultural and commercial centre of Toronto's
Polish Canadian
Polish Canadians ( pl, Polonia w Kanadzie, french: Canadiens Polonais) are citizens of Canada with Polish ancestry, and Poles who immigrated to Canada from abroad. At the 2016 Census, there were 1,106,585 Canadians who claimed full or partial ...
community. A number of Polish-speaking restaurants, delicatessens and shops specializing in Polish goods are located on Roncesvalles Avenue. The sign "Mówimy po polsku" ("We speak Polish") is displayed in some storefronts.
![Roncesvalles Polish Fest 2008](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cb/Roncesvalles_Polish_Fest_2008.JPG)
While still recognized as a centre of the
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles
Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...
community, the ethnic makeup of the area around Roncesvalles Avenue varies widely, as is the case throughout
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
. According to the 2006 census figures, in Ward 14, which includes Roncesvalles, there were 2,775 residents who identified Polish as their mother tongue, or 5.5% of the population. This is the second-largest group after English. According to the 2011 census, the overall number of residents of Toronto who identify Polish as their mother tongue is 27,880.
The Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Area holds an annual Roncesvalles Village Polish Festival each fall, closing Roncesvalles Avenue to vehicular traffic. The festival features amusement rides, clothing, craft and food stands and outdoor musical entertainment, including polka music. In 2011, an estimated 300,000 people attended the festival. The official patron of the festival is the Polish Consulate. It is considered the largest Polish festival in North America.
The public library branch holds a collection of Polish-language books and magazines. Polish-language lessons are part of the curriculum at St. Vincent de Paul separate school.
At the southern end of Roncesvalles Avenue, at the Sunnyside intersection of King, Queen,
Queensway and Roncesvalles streets, two monuments are erected in memory of two events in Polish history. A large monument in memory of the massacre of Polish prisoners of war during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, and especially the mass graves of officers found in
Katyn forest. Fresh wreaths are placed there regularly. Next to it is a memorial to thousands of Polish citizens deported to Siberian labour camps during the Second World War.
![Pope-jp-roncesvalles](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/Pope-jp-roncesvalles.jpg)
In Poland, the Catholic faith is predominant, and this is the case for persons of Polish descent ('
Polonia') in Canada. There are two large Catholic churches on Roncesvalles. St. Casimir's Roman Catholic Church offers Polish-language masses every Sunday.
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, at Westminster Avenue, holds masses in English and
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
.
An enormous memorial was held on Roncesvalles Avenue when
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
died, with standing room only on the street and sidewalks of Roncesvalles from Marion Avenue to Wright Avenue. The memorial was loosely centred on a statue of the Pope located at the St. Stanislaus-St. Casimir's Credit Union, a credit union for people of Polish descent. A tribute of candles and flowers around the statue continues today. When Pope John Paul II visited Toronto in 1984, he had visited Roncesvalles and dined at the Sir Nicholas Restaurant at 89 Roncesvalles.
Institutions
Churches
The Annunciation Of The Virgin Mary
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
Cathedral is located at Sorauren Avenue and Galley Avenue. Until 1961, it was the North Parkdale United Church, when it was purchased for $160,000. It was elevated to Cathedral status in 1967. Its interior was damaged by fire in 2000 but was refurbished.
![St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Toronto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/St_Vincent_de_Paul_Catholic_Church%2C_Toronto.JPG)
Roncesvalles United Church, located at Wright Avenue, operates a mission and a daycare. The church was renamed Emmanuel – Howard Park in 1972, following the merger of its congregation with that of Howard Park
United Church
A united church, also called a uniting church, is a church formed from the merger or other form of church union of two or more different Protestant Christian denominations.
Historically, unions of Protestant churches were enforced by the state ...
.
Cheri DiNovo was the pastor of the church until she was elected as the current
Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for
Parkdale–High Park in 2006. The former Howard Park Church is located at Sunnyside and Marmaduke and was converted into housing. As of 2016, Emmanuel – Howard Park was renamed Roncesvalles United Church. Services are also held by Roman Catholic Womenpriests at the church.
St. Casimir's Polish
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
Church at Garden Avenue, offers Polish masses on Sundays. Its origins begin in 1944 when the Oblate Mission decided to create the third Polish parish (and first in the west end) in Toronto. The lot on which the church stands today was purchased for $15,000 in 1948 and construction on the parish hall began the same year. The first mass was held in the church hall in 1949. The church was completed and officially began offering mass on May 23, 1954. The founder and driving force behind the creation of the parish and church was Father Michael Smith who later went on to found Copernicus Lodge. The parish and church were important in the beginning of the Polish community in Toronto's west end.
St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, at Westminster Avenue, offers Latin masses on Sundays. It is the 'mother' parish of St. Casimir's and was built in the 1910s.
Westminster Chapel at High Park is a merger of Westminster Chapel and High Park
Baptist Church
Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
. Westminster Chapel at High Park is located on Hewitt Avenue. High Park Baptist Church was founded as the Hewitt Avenue Mission in 1908 and was originally an outpost of Walmer Road Baptist Church. At the time, Roncesvalles was largely unpopulated, with the Eaton family home on Indian Road being one of the only residences in the area. The original building has been expanded several times, culminating in the construction of a unique circular sanctuary in 1927. High Park Baptist holds Sunday services, small group Bible studies in the church and local homes, and hosts "Room To Roam" a drop-in for parents and children in the neighbourhood, a popular food and clothing bank, summer day camps for local children, and more.
Health
![Stjoeshc s1278](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Stjoeshc_s1278.jpg)
The large St. Joseph's Health Centre at Sunnyside and The Queensway in the south of the district has been on the site since the 1840s, being first the site of the
Sisters of St. Joseph
The Sisters of St. Joseph, also known as the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, abbreviated CSJ or SSJ, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women founded in Le Puy-en-Velay, France, in 1650. This congregation, named for S ...
Order, then an orphanage and later the hospital. The Order still operates the hospital. It occupies the site of Sunnyside Lodge, a home of John Howard.
At the south end of Roncesvalles is Copernicus Lodge, a large chronic care and nursing home facility that primarily serves the Polish community although not exclusively. The Lodge is a monument to the community that in large part was responsible for its creation. It opened its first wing on Roncesvalles and later opened a new wing on Marion Street.
There are several doctor's offices on Roncesvalles, and several are located in the Sunnyside Medical Arts Building at 27 Roncesvalles, including the St. Joseph's Urban Family Health Team. The street has several drugstores, including B&A Drug Mart, Guardian, Margis Pharmacy, Solarski Pharmacy, and Sunnyside Medical Pharmacy.
Education
The
Toronto District School Board
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB), formerly known as English-language Public District School Board No. 12 prior to 1999, is the English-language public-secular school board for Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The minority public-secular franco ...
(TDSB) is an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
secular
Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...
public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
school board that serves the City of Toronto. The school board operates a number of institutions that provides
primary
Primary or primaries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels
* Primary (band), from Australia
* Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea
* Primary Music, Israeli record label
Works
* ...
and
secondary
Secondary may refer to: Science and nature
* Secondary emission, of particles
** Secondary electrons, electrons generated as ionization products
* The secondary winding, or the electrical or electronic circuit connected to the secondary winding i ...
. TDSB does not operate any secondary schools in the neighbourhood, although three TDSB secondary school located near the neighbourhood serve the students of Roncesvalles. They include
Humberside Collegiate Institute
Humberside Collegiate Institute (also known as Humberside CI, HCI, or Humberside), formerly known as Toronto Junction High School and Toronto Junction Collegiate Institute is a public high school located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It serves the ...
,
Parkdale Collegiate Institute
Founded in 1888, Parkdale Collegiate Institute is a public high school located on Jameson Avenue in Parkdale, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the heart of what is considered ' Little Tibet', which is the home of the largest concentratio ...
, and
Western Technical-Commercial School
Western Technical-Commercial School is a high school in the High Park North neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada oversighted by the Toronto District School Board. It shares the same building with Ursula Franklin Academy and The Student Scho ...
. Primary schools operated by TDSB in Roncesvalles include:
* Fern Avenue Public School is a public
elementary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary ed ...
and
middle school
A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...
on Fern Avenue, east of Roncesvalles.
* Garden Avenue Junior Public School is a public elementary school on Garden Avenue west of Roncesvalles. It was founded in 1957 and was known as Argentina Junior P.S. between 1961 and 1982, but this was changed back to the original name during the Falklands conflict.
* Howard Junior Public School is a public elementary school on Marmaduke Street at Sunnyside Avenue.
The
Toronto District Catholic School Board
The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB, known as English-language Separate District School Board No. 40 prior to 1999) is an Canadian English, English-language Separate school, public-separate school board for Toronto, Ontario, Cana ...
(TDCSB) is a public English
separate school
In Canada, a separate school is a type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces (Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan) and statutory status in the three territories ( Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut). In these Canadi ...
board that serves the City of Toronto. The school board operates institutions that provides primary and secondary education. Schools operated by TDCSB in Roncesvalles include:
* St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary School is a Catholic elementary school on Fermanagh Avenue east of Roncesvalles. It was founded in 1914 operating out of a storefront on Roncesvalles Avenue, across the street from the church. With the end of the war in 1918, a separate building was constructed for the school behind the church on Westminster Ave., which was run by
Sisters of Loreto
The Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose members are commonly known as the Loreto Sisters, is a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education founded in Saint-Omer by an Englishwoman, Mary Ward, in 1609. The congr ...
. The school was extended to Fermanagh Avenue shortly after. Problems with low enrolment threatened the existence of the school which was considered for closure during a reorganization of the Metropolitan Separate School Board (which became the TCDSB) and general changes of demographics.
*
Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School
Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School, officially Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton Catholic Secondary School and Regional Arts Centre (referred to known as The Regional Arts School @ Marrocco, BMTMCSS, Bishop Marrocco/Thomas Merton ...
. The school is leased by the TCDSB.
[Contenta, Sandro.]
Catholic board wants to take over Toronto's West Park Secondary
" ''Toronto Star
The ''Toronto Star'' is a Canadian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper. The newspaper is the country's largest daily newspaper by circulation. It is owned by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary of Torstar Corporation and part ...
''. December 17, 1986. News p. A7. Retrieved on July 23, 2013. "The Metro Separate School Board is eager to take over Toronto's West Park Secondary School – due to be closed in 1988 – in a bid to accommodate the board's growing student population. .. Toronto Board of Education committee has recommended that the full .. and "West Park students are expected to end up in Brockton High School, on Croatia St., south of Bloor St. W."
![High Park Library 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/High_Park_Library_2013.jpg)
Two public French-language secondary schools,
École secondaire catholique Saint-Frère-André
École secondaire catholique Saint-Frère-André is a French-language Roman Catholic high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The school is operated by Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir. It occupies part of the former West Toronto Collegiate ...
and
École secondaire Toronto Ouest
École secondaire Toronto Ouest is a public French-language high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The school is operated by the Conseil scolaire Viamonde. It occupies part of the former West Toronto Collegiate building, which it shares with É ...
operate nearby on Lansdowne Avenue in the former
West Toronto Collegiate
West Toronto Collegiate Institute (WTCI, West Toronto) is a former public high school in the Brockton Village neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1972-2010. It is located at 330 Lansdowne Avenue, just north of College Street. It was own ...
building. They are operated by
Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir
Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir ( en, My Future Catholic School Board) is a Roman Catholic French first language public- separate school board that manages elementary and secondary schools in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The school board op ...
, and
Conseil scolaire Viamonde
The Conseil scolaire Viamonde (CSV) is a public-secular French first language school board, and manages elementary and secondary schools in the Ontario Peninsula and the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The school board operates 41 elementary schools an ...
respectively.
The High Park branch of the
Toronto Public Library
Toronto Public Library (TPL) (french: Bibliothèque publique de Toronto) is a public library system in Toronto, Ontario. It is the largest public library system in Canada, and in 2008 had averaged a higher circulation per capita than any other pu ...
, a
Carnegie library, is located at Wright Avenue. It was opened in 1916, and renovated in 1979 and again in 1991.
Economy
There are a myriad of small businesses, most of which are independently owned and operated. These include specialty gift shops, pharmacies, grocers (including organic specialty), health food stores, clothing and shoe boutiques, cafes and restaurants, book and music stores, video stores, art shops, hardware stores and law offices. The former S.S. Kresge store, now a Royal Bank, was built in 1936 and retains its original Kresge signage. The majority of shops are accommodated in two or three-storey structures built in the first half of the 20th century, with the retail portion on the ground floor and apartments above.
Roncesvalles is very well known for the large number of small restaurants, cafés and specialty food shops of various cuisines. There are several bakeries and delicatessens found along the full length of Roncesvalles.
The Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Area district includes businesses along the full length of Roncesvalles from Dundas Street to Queen Street. The BIA was founded in 1985.
Recreation
![Sorauren-park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Sorauren-park.jpg)
The Roncesvalles area has several parks and sporting facilities. The schools of the neighbourhood also provide facilities, including swimming pools for school-age children. The largest park in the area is High Park west of Parkside Drive, with playgrounds, Grenadier Pond, a zoo, baseball diamonds, outdoor swimming pool and forest.
Sorauren Avenue Park, was created at the intersection of Sorauren Avenue and Wabash Avenue on the site of a former bus garage. It now holds two tennis courts, two soccer fields and a fieldhouse. A playground is across Wabash from the park. At the site, a former linseed oil factory is now in the ownership of the City and is earmarked for a future recreation centre. To the south of the area, the Sunnyside lakefront provides playgrounds, picnic areas, the
Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion, a boardwalk, a recreation trail and beaches.
High Park
High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. High Park is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One-third of the park remains ...
provides baseball diamonds and organized youth baseball programs. High Park also has two soccer fields, tennis courts and an artificial ice rink in the winter. The École secondaire catholique Saint-Frère-André and École secondaire Toronto Ouest on Lansdowne Avenue to the east provide an all-weather track and a soccer field. The closest hockey arena is at McCormick, east of Lansdowne.
There are several club-run facilities. High Park Curling Club on Indian Road is Toronto's oldest curling club. The current rink was opened in 1911. There are two tennis clubs in High Park. Along the lakefront, there are rowing clubs including the Argonaut Club. The Boulevard Club operates tennis and boating facilities.
Transportation
![TTC Roncesvalles Streetcar Carhouse (5797859757)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/TTC_Roncesvalles_Streetcar_Carhouse_%285797859757%29.jpg)
The intersection of Roncesvalles, Queen and King streets has long been a transportation hub of the city of Toronto. Passenger trains first served the area in 1855. In the 1890s the location became the hub of commuter streetcars going as far west as
Port Credit
Port Credit is a neighbourhood in the south-central part of the City of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Credit River on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Its main intersection is Hurontario Street and Lakeshore Road ...
. In 1895,
Toronto Railway Company
The Toronto Railway Company (TRC) was the operator of the streetcar system in Toronto between 1891 and 1921. It electrified the horsecar system it inherited from the Toronto Street Railway, the previous operator of streetcar service in Toronto. ...
(forerunner of the TTC) built the Roncesvalles streetcar yards, which continue to dominate the northwest corner. The intersection itself is famous for its huge number of streetcar tracks, possibly the most numerous in the city. The area has also been home to two other TTC yards, one streetcar yard in the triangle formed by Howard Park Avenue, Dundas Street West and Ritchie Avenue, and the bus garage on Sorauren Ave on the current site of Sorauren Park. The
Roncesvalles Carhouse
The Roncesvalles Carhouse is a storage and maintenance facility for the streetcar network of the Toronto Transit Commission. Located at the northwest corner of The Queensway and Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto, Ontario, west of its downtown core, ...
, a streetcar maintenance and storage facility, is located within Roncesvalles.
Today, the area is well served by the
Dundas West
Dundas West is a subway station on Line 2 Bloor–Danforth of the Toronto subway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located just north of Bloor Street West at the corner of Dundas Street and Edna Avenue. The station is about 200 metres west of B ...
and
Keele
Keele is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. It is approximately three miles (5 km) west of Newcastle-under-Lyme, and is close to the village of Silverdale. Keele lies on the A53 ro ...
subway stations to the north at Bloor Street. The
501
__NOTOC__
Year 501 ( DI) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Avienus and Pompeius (or, less frequently, year 1254 '' Ab u ...
,
504A,
505
Year 505 ( DV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Theodorus and Sabinianus (or, less frequently, year 1258 '' Ab urb ...
, and
506
Year 506 (Roman numerals, DVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Flavius Ennodius Messala, Messala and Areobindus Dagalai ...
streetcars provide frequent service and the 80 Queensway bus provides service along Parkside Avenue from Keele station.
![The streetcar stop platforms on Roncesvalles](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/The_streetcar_stop_platforms_on_Roncesvalles.JPG)
Roncesvalles Avenue was completely reconstructed in 2009–2011, partially owing to the need to replace the sewer pipes, water mains and the streetcar tracks. The roadway re-construction incorporated roadway narrowing and sidewalk improvements. Transit platforms were built to extend to the streetcar doors at transit stops. The transit platforms incorporated ramps to provide a bicycle lane. Sewers were rebuilt during 2009 and early 2010. The trees on the street, which were in planters, were replaced, and the new trees planted at ground level. The soil beneath the tree plantings was landscaped into trenches beneath the sidewalks.
GO Transit
GO Transit is a regional public transit system serving the Greater Golden Horseshoe region of Ontario, Canada. With its hub at Union Station in Toronto, GO Transit's green-and-white trains and buses serve a population of more than seven millio ...
operates trains along the Lakeshore rail line, although no longer stopping at Sunnyside. The nearest stop is at
Exhibition Place
Exhibition Place is a publicly owned mixed-use district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located by the shoreline of Lake Ontario, just west of downtown. The site includes exhibit, trade, and banquet centres, theatre and music buildings, monuments ...
. There are GO trains operating along the
CN/
CP lines to the east, stopping at Bloor Street and Dundas Street West.
There once was an inter-city bus depot at the northwest corner of Roncesvalles and Queen, now converted to a fast-food restaurant. This took over from the commuter streetcars, although streetcars do travel as far west as
Long Branch from Roncesvalles.
The former
Toronto - Sunnyside passenger train station, providing intercity train connections, on the Great Western line opened in 1910 at the foot of Roncesvalles. It replaced the
railway station
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
located at Jameson and Springhurst, that opened in 1879. Sunnyside station shut in 1971 and was demolished in 1973.
Notable events
* 1850 – Col. O'Hara acquires 420 acres (170 ha) to the east side of Roncesvalles, north of Queen Street, as part of compensation for helping to put down
1837 Rebellion.
* 1855 –
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
rail line along Lake Ontario to
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
is built. Station at foot of Jameson and Springhurst built in 1879.
* 1856 –
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway (; french: Grand Tronc) was a railway system that operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario and in the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The rai ...
, running north-south to the east of Roncesvalles is built. Stations at Dufferin and Queen and at Dundas and Dupont.
* 1873 – Most of High Park given to city by John Howard.
* 1876 – Sunnyside Residence, orphanage on grounds of then Sunnyside Lodge, and now the site of current St. Joseph's opens, operated by Sisters of St. Joseph.
* 1884 – Annexation of
Brockton Village
Brockton Village is a former town, and now the name of a neighbourhood, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It comprises a section of the old Town of Brockton which was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1884.
The town encompassed the area from Bloor Str ...
into Toronto.
* 1884 – Annexation of Sunnyside farm into Toronto.
* 1889 – Annexation of Parkdale by Toronto.
* 1895 – Roncesvalles streetcar yard built.
* 1905 – Parkdale Canoe Club founded. Now known as Boulevard Club. First club building built in 1915 at foot of Roncesvalles.
* 1908 – Hewitt Avenue Mission, now High Park Baptist Church, built at Hewitt and Roncesvalles.
![Sunnyside train station 1915 Toronto](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Sunnyside_train_station_1915_Toronto.jpg)
* 1910 –
Sunnyside railway station opens to replace
South Parkdale railway station
The South Parkdale railway station was a passenger rail station on the Grand Trunk Railway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was located at Jameson Avenue and Springhurst Avenue in the former village of Parkdale. It was demolished in 1911 as part o ...
, closed after grade separation project completion.
* 1910 – High Park Presbyterian Church at Wright and Roncesvalles built. (Now known as Emmanuel Howard Park.)
* 1912 – Revue Cinema opens.
* 1914 – St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church and School open on Roncesvalles.
* 1915 – High Park Library opens.
* 1921 – St. Joseph's Hospital established.
* 1922 – Sunnyside Amusement Park opens.
* 1922 –
Palais Royale
Palais Royale is a dance hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on Lake Shore Boulevard at the foot of Roncesvalles Avenue on Lake Ontario. Originally built as a boat works, it became notable as a night club in the now-defunct Sunnyside Amusem ...
opens at foot of Roncesvalles.
* 1930 – City acquires the last part of High Park property, bringing total to 400 acres (162 ha).
* 1952 – St. Casimir's Church built. This coincides with the influx of Polish immigrants and the movement of Polish Torontonians from the Queen Street West area around St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.
* 1955 – Demolition of Sunnyside Amusement Park. The Lakeshore Road is closed from the foot of Roncesvalles, the street 'The Queensway' is built and streetcars are rerouted from the Lakeshore Road to The Queensway in a dedicated right-of-way.
* 1958 – Gardiner Expressway opens.
* 1963 – The
Sphynx cat
The Sphynx cat (pronounced , ) also known as the Canadian Sphynx, is a breed of cat known for its lack of fur. Hairlessness in cats is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and the Sphynx was developed through selective breeding of these anim ...
is alleged to have originated from a litter born in a Roncesvalles Avenue alley.
* 1971 – Sunnyside railway station closes. Demolished in 1973.
* 1979 – Copernicus Lodge retirement home opens.
![Toronto-katyn-memorial](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Toronto-katyn-memorial.jpg)
* 1980 – Erection of Katyn monument.
* 1984 – Pope John Paul II visit, with open-air mass at Exhibition Place.
* 2005 – Outdoor memorial mass for Pope John Paul II on Roncesvalles Avenue.
* 2005 – First annual Roncesvalles Village Polish festival.
* 2008 – First season of the Sorauren Farmers' Market in Sorauren Park on Monday afternoons.
* 2010, April 11 – Mass at St. Casimir's and march to Katyn monument to honour victims of the
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash, which killed the Polish president and government officials.
Notable people
*
Harold Ballard
Harold Edwin Ballard (born Edwin Harold Ballard, July 30, 1903 – April 11, 1990) was a Canadian businessman and sportsman. Ballard was an owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL) as well as their home arena, Maple ...
– The Ballard family (father Sidney owned a textile machinery business) lived at 44 Parkway Avenue in the early 1900s. Harold attended Howard Public School, graduating in 1916.
* The
Boyd Gang
The Boyd Gang was a notorious criminal gang based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named for member Edwin Alonzo Boyd. The gang was a favourite of the media at the time because of their sensational actions, which included bank robberies, jail breaks, ...
– Edwin Alonzo Boyd's gang achieved national notoriety in the 1950s with a crime spree that began at the Roncesvalles branch of the Toronto Bank (across from the Dundas-Roncesvalles triangle), while maintaining a hideout at a girlfriend's apartment on Wright Avenue.
*
Samantha Bee
Samantha Anne Bee (born October 25, 1969) is a Canadian-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actress, and television host.
Bee rose to fame as a correspondent on ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'', where she became the ...
– grew up in Roncesvalles, host of ''
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
''Full Frontal with Samantha Bee'' is an American late-night talk and news satire television program that aired on TBS from 2016 to 2022. The show was hosted by comedian Samantha Bee, a former correspondent on ''The Daily Show''.
In July 202 ...
'' and comedian.
*
Piya Chattopadhyay
Piya Chattopadhyay () is a Canadian journalist, currently host of '' The Sunday Magazine'' on CBC Radio One.
She is known for her work on CBC Radio,[Katerina Cizek
Katerina Cizek is a Canadian documentary director and a pioneer in digital documentaries. She is the Artistic Director, Co-Founder and Executive Producer of the Co-Creation Studio at MIT Open Documentary Lab (Massachusetts Institute of Technolog ...]
– documentary filmmaker and web creator.
*
Daniel Lanois
Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter.
He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie ...
– Record producer and musician. Opened studio at 1 Howard Park Avenue in 2010.
*
Archie P. McKishnie and
Jean Blewett – brother and sister writers, lived at 353 Sunnyside Avenue. McKishnie wrote historical novels about pioneer life; Blewett wrote poetry and was an editor for ''
The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
''.
[Kluckner(1988), p. 206]
*
Taylor Mitchell
Taylor Josephine Stephanie Luciow, known by her stage name Taylor Mitchell (August 27, 1990October 27, 2009), was a Canadian country folk singer and songwriter from Toronto. Her debut and only album, ''For Your Consideration'', received encourag ...
–
Country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...
folk singer who grew up in the Roncesvalles area. She died from blood loss and severe injuries due to a coyote attack while hiking at
Cape Breton Highlands National Park in 2009.
*
William Herbert Price
William Herbert Price (May 25, 1877 – December 21, 1963) was a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1914 to 1937 who represented the Toronto riding of Parkdale. He served as ...
– solicitor, MLA, Ontario attorney general, Ontario treasurer, lived at 7 Indian Grove.
*
Percy Quinn
John Purcell Quinn (January 9, 1876 – October 28, 1944) was a Canadian athlete, businessman, sports executive and politician. He was an owner and president of the Toronto Blueshirts, winners of the Stanley Cup in 1914. He was a member of the wor ...
– Humanitarian, alderman, businessman, professional hockey team owner. Lived at 92 Roncesvalles until his death in 1944.
*
Morton Shulman
Morton Shulman (25 April 1925 – 18 August 2000) was a Canadian politician, businessman, broadcaster, columnist, coroner, and physician. He was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1925 to a Jewish family. He first came to fame as Ontario's Chief Coron ...
– Former Coroner of Toronto, outspoken local NDP MPP for the provincial electoral district of High Park (now part of the larger Parkdale—High Park electoral district) and TV talk show host operated a family medical practice on Roncesvalles until he retired.
References
Further reading
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*
External links
Roncesvalles Village BIA
{{authority control
Ethnic enclaves in Ontario
Neighbourhoods in Toronto
Polish communities
Polish diaspora in Canada