Leaside residents came together Thursday afternoon to remember 7-year-old Georgia Walsh, who died after being struck by a van on Wednesday afternoon.

Around 4 p.m., they gathered at various corners of the intersection, sharing hugs and holding hands for a moment of silence in front of a spontaneous memorial to the little girl, one of four children of Conservative Party president John Walsh and his wife, Jillian. But amid the grief was also a sense of fear and frustration.

Parents are concerned about a high volume of traffic passing through their residential neighbourhood.

“There’s such a feeling of strong remorse. We knew this was a problem, and we should have done more to bring it to the attention of those who could make changes,” said Roger Cattell, who organized the vigil.

In April, after witnessing two incidents where drivers failed to use a stop sign and a set of street lights properly, he sent a message to local councillor John Parker about the potential risk to children and inquired about obtaining police observation and a crossing guard. The councillor’s staff responded that the message would be forwarded to police.

Councillor Parker could not be reached for comment.

A miniature ballerina, stuffed animals and a hand-made card inscribed with a heart were part of the growing roadside memorial for Georgia, who was struck by a turning van at McRae Dr. and Millwood Rd. on Wednesday afternoon, suffering severe head trauma, and later died in hospital.

“Have a happy life in heaven” reads the front of a card, in a child’s handwriting.

While Cattell talked to a reporter at the intersection, a car made a poorly timed right turn on a red light and was honked at by another vehicle coming through on a green, making Cattell’s point.

“I mean, just look at the crazy traffic that is in this neighbourhood. Here we are at the intersection; they’re honking and they’re cutting each other off. Something has to be done,” said Cattell, a father of three.

He points to lane reductions on Eglinton Ave. and commercial growth east of the area as factors in the traffic. Cattell said his children are forbidden to use certain intersections.

The intersection where Georgia was struck has a field with a baseball diamond on one corner that was busy earlier Thursday with kids camp, Pedalheads, based at Leaside United Church, across the street. Farther down are tennis courts and a library with a playground beside it.

“It’s at the corner of where all of our children play,” said Natalie Healy.

No charges have been laid against the driver of the Toyota Sienna van, who remained at the scene. “Emotionally, he’s devastated,” said Toronto police Const. Clint Stibbe. “It’s devastating to be responsible for the loss of a life of a child.”

Stibbe said the area is a 40-km/h zone and that it was unlikely that speed was a factor in the acccident. He said Georgia was alone when she was struck.

“Anyone you talk to will tell you they’ve had a close call,” said mother Alexandra Moussadji. “You worry about taking them to school.”

Cattell said he does not know what the solution is, but that the issue is too much traffic.

“My daughter at 4:05 yesterday took a different route. So I would hate to think that what happened could have happened to me.

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Georgia’s death, given her father’s prominence, resonated far beyond Leaside.

“Devastated to hear the tragic, unthinkable news about the death of seven-year old Georgia, daughter of my friends John & Jillian Walsh. RIP,” Employment Minister Jason Kenny tweeted.

The Walsh family put out a statement late Wednesday asking for privacy while dealing with the loss of a “beautiful daughter and wonderful sister.”

John Walsh has a Christmas photo of his three boys, Duncan, Liam and Finnian, sitting on a couch with Georgia posted on his professional Facebook account. In another picture, he is holding the young girl while posing with Jillian and Prime Minister Stephen Harper.