The young boy killed in a tragic speedboat crash off North Vancouver’s Cates Park has been identified as 10-year-old Lionel Hall. The fatal incident occurred Saturday evening while Lionel and another child were tubing behind a boat near the shoreline. A speeding vessel struck the boat towing the children, killing Lionel on the scene and seriously injuring the second child, who was airlifted to hospital.
Authorities arrested a North Vancouver man shortly after the crash. Though alcohol and excessive speed are under investigation, the man has not yet been charged. He was released from custody on Sunday and is due in court on August 27.
Lionel’s family, devastated by the loss, remembered the boy as “larger than life itself.” A family friend, Coreena Robertson, described Lionel as a vibrant young athlete who excelled in soccer, rugby, hurdles, and track. “It’s also beautiful to see the love that Lionel’s heart and just his light reached,” she said.
The boating incident has reignited safety concerns about recreational watercraft in the Burrard Inlet. Mayor Mike Little of the District of North Vancouver confirmed discussions are underway with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to explore stricter boating regulations, including speed limit enforcement and designated lanes to separate high-speed boats from recreational users.
Cates Park, also known by its Tsleil-Waututh name Whey-ah-Wichen, is a popular boating and tubing area. Following the crash, the park’s launch was temporarily closed but has since reopened.
The Vancouver School Board, where Lionel was a student, is providing grief counseling and additional supports to affected students and staff. As the Hall family and community mourn the loss, calls for accountability and regulatory reform continue to mount.
Swifteradio.com
