Roncesvalles Avenue
Encyclopedia
Roncesvalles Avenue is a north-south arterial street in Toronto
, Canada
. It connects Queen Street West
, King Street West and runs north to Dundas Street
West. Roncesvalles Avenue takes its name from the Battle of Roncesvalles
, which took place in the Roncesvalles
gorge in Spain
in 1813. (The name 'Roncesvalles' means 'valley of thorns' in Spanish
.) At this gorge, Colonel Walter O'Hara—an early 19th century Irish
settler who played a significant role in the establishment of the neighbourhood—led a regiment that fought against the retreating army of Napoleon.
and shop. Further north is the Copernicus Lodge, a retirement home. Residential usage predominates along the west side, with some commercial storefronts around the intersection with Howard Park Avenue.
Businesses along Roncesvalles Avenue are organized into the "Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Area". The residential neighbourhood, formerly part of the former villages of Brockton and Parkdale
, is today simply classified as Roncesvalles. Much of the businesses there serve the city's Polish
population.
The street is normally served by the frequent 504 King streetcar, its rails embedded in the street. However, major construction commenced in July 2009 to replace water mains which run below the tracks, the tracks themselves and the road and sidewalks. The project will transform the street for virtually its entire length. Construction was completed as of December 2010 to the point where streetcar service had resumed. The width of Roncesvalles increases at its south end, partly to allow turning streetcars access to the TTC yard.
was built in the 1950s, although a small part of Queen Street west of Roncesvalles had already been built in the 1800s.
The area around the street at the time of its construction was primarily agricultural with market gardens.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It connects Queen Street West
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
, King Street West and runs north to Dundas Street
Dundas Street (Toronto)
Dundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
West. Roncesvalles Avenue takes its name from the Battle of Roncesvalles
Battle of Roncesvalles (1813)
The Battle of Roncesvalles was a battle between French and Anglo-Portuguese forces during the Peninsular War .-Background:...
, which took place in the Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles
Roncesvalles is a small village and municipality in Navarre, northern Spain. It is situated on the small river Urrobi at an altitude of some 900 metres in the Pyrenees, about 8 kilometres from the French frontier....
gorge in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 1813. (The name 'Roncesvalles' means 'valley of thorns' in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
.) At this gorge, Colonel Walter O'Hara—an early 19th century Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
settler who played a significant role in the establishment of the neighbourhood—led a regiment that fought against the retreating army of Napoleon.
Route description
Roncesvalles Avenue was a four-lane arterial roadway, although parking is allowed at all times on both sides of the street. Recent construction converted the street to two driving lanes, with the former right lanes re-purposed as permanent parking spaces, right turn lanes or streetcar platforms where necessary. Along the east side of the street from Queen Street to Dundas, the buildings are storefronts with upper apartments. Most of the buildings date from 1910 and later. Along the west side, the land usage is more diverse. At the intersection of Queen Street and Roncesvalles, there is a hotel. Behind the intersection is the large Roncesvalles TTC streetcar garageTTC yards, garages, and facilities
Toronto Transit Commission facilities are bus garages, carhouses, and subway yards for fleet and rolling stock of the Toronto Transit Commission.-Arrow Road Bus Garage:...
and shop. Further north is the Copernicus Lodge, a retirement home. Residential usage predominates along the west side, with some commercial storefronts around the intersection with Howard Park Avenue.
Businesses along Roncesvalles Avenue are organized into the "Roncesvalles Village Business Improvement Area". The residential neighbourhood, formerly part of the former villages of Brockton and Parkdale
Parkdale, Toronto
Parkdale is a neighbourhood and former village in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, west of downtown. The neighbourhood is bounded on the west by Roncesvalles Avenue, on the north by Queen Street. It is bounded on the east by Dufferin Street from Queen Street south, and on the south by Lake Ontario...
, is today simply classified as Roncesvalles. Much of the businesses there serve the city's Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
population.
The street is normally served by the frequent 504 King streetcar, its rails embedded in the street. However, major construction commenced in July 2009 to replace water mains which run below the tracks, the tracks themselves and the road and sidewalks. The project will transform the street for virtually its entire length. Construction was completed as of December 2010 to the point where streetcar service had resumed. The width of Roncesvalles increases at its south end, partly to allow turning streetcars access to the TTC yard.
History
The first mention of Roncesvalles Avenue in atlases of Toronto was in 1860. The roadway was built to connect Queen Street with Dundas Street, then the main highway west. King Street West was extended to the foot of Roncesvalles in the 1880s. The QueenswayThe Queensway
The Queensway/Queensway Avenue is a major street in the municipalities of Toronto and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. It is the western extension of Queen Street, after it merges with King Street near Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto...
was built in the 1950s, although a small part of Queen Street west of Roncesvalles had already been built in the 1800s.
The area around the street at the time of its construction was primarily agricultural with market gardens.