To the west of Roncesvalles, the area is nearly completely residential except for St. Joseph's Health Centre and a Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) streetcar barn.

Two other old industrial buildings along Wabash are owned by the City of Toronto, and are slated for a future community centre project.

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.

[10] In the 1890s, the intersection of Roncesvalles and Queen became more important as a Lake Shore streetcar line was built,[11] enabling commuting to the west.

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 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.

[13] Other street names have historical connections: The area has a highly developed history of political and community participation.

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.

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 ...

"[14] The popular repertory movie theatre Revue Cinema, at the intersection of Roncesvalles and Howard Park Avenue first opened its doors in 1911.

Annually in June, the "Roncy Rocks" one-day music and art show is held outdoors along Roncesvalles.

[16][17] In 2018, the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada moved to a location in the former Tower Building nearby on Sterling Road.

A number of Polish-speaking restaurants, delicatessens and shops specializing in Polish goods are located on Roncesvalles Avenue.

While still recognized as a centre of the Polish community, the ethnic makeup of the area around Roncesvalles Avenue varies widely, as is the case throughout Toronto.

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.

St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, at Westminster Avenue, holds masses in English and Latin.

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.

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 founder and driving force behind the creation of the parish and church was Father Michael Smith who later went on to found Copernicus Lodge.

St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, at Westminster Avenue, offers Latin masses on Sundays.

At the time, Roncesvalles was largely unpopulated, with the Eaton family home on Indian Road being one of the only residences in the area.

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.

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.

Schools operated by TDCSB in Roncesvalles include: Two public French-language secondary schools, École secondaire catholique Saint-Frère-André and École secondaire Toronto Ouest operate nearby on Lansdowne Avenue in the former West Toronto Collegiate building.

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.

In 1895, Toronto Railway Company (forerunner of the TTC) built the Roncesvalles streetcar yards, which continue to dominate the northwest corner.

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.

Today, the area is well served by the Dundas West and Keele subway stations to the north at Bloor Street.

Roncesvalles Avenue was completely reconstructed in 2009–2011, partially owing to the need to replace the sewer pipes, water mains and the streetcar tracks.