Roncesvalles, Toronto real estate

Living in Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles, often shortened to "Roncy," sits on the eastern edge of High Park in Toronto's west end. It is centred on Roncesvalles Avenue, which runs north from the meeting of King and Queen streets up to Dundas Street West. Informally, the neighbourhood runs from High Park in the west to the rail corridor and Lansdowne Avenue in the east, and from Bloor Street West south to Queen Street and the lake.

Much of the land was once part of Colonel Walter O'Hara's estate. After his death in 1874 it was subdivided, and many streets, including Roncesvalles and Sorauren, were named for places tied to his military service in Spain. Streetcars reached the area in the 1890s, and most of its homes went up between 1900 and the First World War. In the 1950s, St. Casimir's Church helped make Roncesvalles a centre of Toronto's Polish community, a heritage still visible in its churches, bakeries and delis and in the large Polish festival held on the street each September.

Roncesvalles today feels like a village within the city: a busy main street of independent shops, cafés and restaurants, leafy side streets of solid brick houses, and High Park and the lake within walking distance. The housing stock is mostly early 20th-century detached and semi-detached homes, many in the American Foursquare style, along with some Victorian houses, converted lofts and low-rise apartments above shops.

Getting around

• Streetcars: the 504 King runs along Roncesvalles Avenue and into downtown along King Street, and the 501 Queen, 505 Dundas and 506 Carlton routes also serve the area.
• Subway: Dundas West station on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth is at the north end of Roncesvalles, with Keele station nearby.
• GO and UP Express: Bloor GO station, connected to Dundas West, offers the UP Express to Union Station and Pearson Airport, plus Kitchener line GO trains.
• Driving: the Gardiner Expressway, Lake Shore Boulevard and the Queensway are just to the south.
• Cycling and walking: Roncesvalles was rebuilt between 2009 and 2011 with wider sidewalks and streetcar platforms extended out to the tracks, with the bike lane ramping up over them. The Martin Goodman Trail along the waterfront is a few minutes away.

Parks and things to do

• High Park: Toronto's largest public park, with trails, Grenadier Pond, a zoo, playgrounds and an outdoor pool.
• Sorauren Park: sports fields, tennis courts, a fieldhouse and the long-running Sorauren Farmers' Market.
• Sunnyside and the waterfront: the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion, Gus Ryder Pool, the boardwalk and the Martin Goodman Trail are a short walk south across the pedestrian bridges.
• Roncesvalles Avenue: independent shops, restaurants and the Revue Cinema, a repertory theatre that has operated since 1911.
• Festivals: the Roncesvalles Polish Festival closes the street every September and draws very large crowds.

Homes you'll find here

Most freehold homes are detached and semi-detached houses built before the First World War, typically two to three storeys in brick on modest lots, often with front porches and generous ceiling heights. The larger homes are on the streets closest to High Park, such as High Park Boulevard and Garden Avenue. Many older houses were converted into multiple units over the years, so you'll find both single-family homes and legal or long-standing multiplexes. East of Roncesvalles, old industrial buildings along Sorauren Avenue have been turned into lofts. Some homes have rear lane access, and the City's rules now allow laneway suites, garden suites and up to four units on most residential lots.

Who it suits

• Families who want a walkable main street plus easy access to High Park and the lake.
• Commuters with a direct streetcar to downtown and the UP Express to Pearson nearby.
• Buyers who like character homes with original details and older-city charm.
• Investors interested in multiplex or income properties in a neighbourhood with steady rental demand.

Good to know before you buy

• Older housing systems: most homes are more than a century old. Check wiring, plumbing, foundations and whether the water service line has been upgraded from lead.
• Legal units: if a house is sold as a duplex or triplex, confirm the units are legal and registered with the City before relying on rental income.
• Rail and highway noise: homes near the rail corridor on the east side or near the Gardiner on the south side can hear trains and traffic.
• Parking: many houses have no driveway, and on-street permit parking is common. Confirm what a property legally has.
• Festival weekends: the Polish Festival and other street events close Roncesvalles Avenue and bring heavy crowds a few times a year.

Thinking about buying or selling in Roncesvalles? Talk to Mehran for a free, no-pressure conversation.

Neighbourhood guide by Mehran Salehian, Sales Representative.