ALTON – The family of slain St. Louis County Police Officer Blake Snyder spoke at Wednesday night's Alton City Council meeting regarding a proposed second entrance to Gordon Moore Park.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Snyder, who lived across the Riverbend area and attended school in the Alton School District was living in Edwardsville with his wife and newborn son, Malachi, when he was killed in the line of duty on Oct. 6, 2016, while responding to a disturbance call in Green Park, Missouri. Outside of law enforcement, Officer Snyder was active in his church and community, even once coaching soccer – a sport of which he was the most fond – for girls in Alton.
Because of his love of both soccer and the community, Snyder's mother, Peggy Snyder, who attended the meeting with his father, Dick Snyder, and little Malachi donning a mohawk, said the park's new entrance would be best named after her son, who spent several hours at Gordon Moore Park from the time he was a toddler to the time he had a son of his own.
“Every time we see an American flag, Malachi looks at it and says, 'that's my daddy's flag,” Peggy Snyder said to the board. “When were coming in here, he hugged the flagpole outside and said it again.
“Blake loved the area and was active in his church and community. We had been taking Blake to Gordon Moore since he was Malachi's age – when the tower there was a fountain and swing sets. He later played soccer there with his friends in their little yellow and black outfits. They looked like a swarm of bees out there. I don't know if any of them knew then how to play soccer, but they had a great time trying.”
Peggy Snyder continued to recount days her son would spend at Gordon Moore as a soccer player, referee and even coach.
The new roadway will be about 500 yards west of the current entrance of the park, and is set to be named Blake Snyder Memorial Parkway by the City of Alton upon its creation.
Alton Police Officer P.J. Bennett was also set to address the council regarding the matter, but was not in attendance at Wednesday's meeting. Bennett and Blake Snyder were friends, and Bennett eulogized his fellow officer at a memorial service held in Officer Blake Snyder's honor at Jim Wigger Field shortly following his tragic death.
