On Saturday, a memorial event was organized to commemorate Jacob Robitaille, a 21-year-old skateboarder from Montreal who was killed in February. Robitaille was riding his skateboard close to the intersection and was fatally struck by a vehicle. The driver responsible for the accident fled the scene.
The gathering was held at the exact location of the accident. Family members, friends, and members of the skateboarding and cycling communities came together to pay tribute to Robitaille’s memory.
White skateboard to honour Jacob Robitaille
A display was arranged, featuring his skateboard, painted in white and adorned with green vines, attached to a post alongside a plaque. Gatherers laid down flowers and touched the skateboard, honouring the young man’s life and passion for skateboarding.
Today would have been Jacob Robitaille’s 22nd birthday. He died when he was hit by a vehicle on his skateboard last year. Today the first ever “ghost skateboard” is being unveiled on De Lormier near Ste Catherine. pic.twitter.com/miEH5PAtad
— Elizabeth Zogalis (@EZogalis) July 29, 2023
The memorial was organized by Montreal cycling advocacy group Vélo fantôme, which normally installs “ghost bikes” at places where cyclists have been killed. It is the first time the group has memorialized a skateboarder.
Collision still being investigated
The vigil took place on Robitaille’s birthday. He would have been 22. The investigation into the crime is still underway.
“The skateboard honours Jacob Robitaille’s memory, it acts as a symbol to stimulate a discussion about the dangers of motorized vehicles towards vulnerable users and constitutes a militant act so actions will be undertaken to avoid more deaths,” Vélo fantôme spokesperson Séverine Le Page said in a statement.
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