At an event hosted by the St. Louis Chapter ASLA, elected officials and VIPs listened to Patrick Boyle, Program Construction Manager for Alpha Construction (pictured in center) discuss the progress of the Arch Grounds renovation project. State representatives and senators were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the $380 million project currently under construction in St. Louis.

In 2015, the St. Louis ASLA Chapter focused its efforts on Advocacy and Public Awareness. It was their mission this year to "Get the Word Out" about the landscape architecture profession. The following are a few highlights of what they accomplished.

Advocacy Events
Advocacy Day in February marked the 4th annual event at the State Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo. Landscape architects from the St. Louis Chapter and Prairie Gateway Chapter met at the Capitol to educate legislators about the profession. ASLA members distributed information and talked with elected officials about the positive economic, social and environmental impact landscape architecture has in Missouri. A total of 47 officials (37 house members and 10 senators) were visited.

Chapter trustee Stephen Ibendahl, ASLA watches Carolyn Gaidis, ASLA try for a hole-in-one at the ASCE/ASLA Golf Tournament at Forest Park Golf Course. The golf tournament helped raise funds for programs and scholarships to educate youth about the civil engineering and landscape architecture professions. The well-attended event included prizes for "longest drive" and "closest to the pin."

In September, the chapter organized "ArchVision: Landscape Architecture Transforming a Landmark," an advocacy event where state representatives and senators were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the $380 million Arch Grounds renovation project currently under construction in St. Louis. The tour was followed by a CEU luncheon and keynote speech by Gullivar Shepard of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the lead design firm of the project. St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay and ASLA President-Elect Chad Danos, FASLA were also in attendance. Special recognition was given to local business leader Walter Metcalfe, Jr. senior council for Bryan Cave, LLC, for his selection as an Honorary ASLA member. Mr. Metcalfe was the driving force behind the Arch Grounds transformation.

Chad Danos, FASLA, President Elect for ASLA (pictured in center) spoke with attendees at the ArchVision luncheon held in September. Following the Arch Grounds renovation tour, there was a CEU luncheon and keynote speech by Gullivar Shepard of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, the lead design firm of the project.

Public Awareness Events
For World Landscape Architecture month in April, the Chapter organized a social media photography contest, "#showmelandarch." Photographs of various locations in the area that included the "Designed by a Landscape Architect" card were submitted. Overall, the chapter received 72 entries via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, which received a total of 822 "likes." The top three entries with the most "likes" received cash prizes.

In September, the St. Louis AIA and St. Louis ASLA chapters teamed up to participate in the MLB "4-a-Greener Game" recycling program at a Cardinals baseball game. The volunteer group of allied professionals and family members collected plastic and aluminum cans for recycling between innings at Busch Stadium. Entry into the game was free and volunteers were able to watch the game. The efforts of both organizations were recognized on the scoreboard during the game.

As part of World Landscape Architecture Month in April, ASLA members were encouraged to take and share pictures on social media with the "Designed by a Landscape Architect" card. The St. Louis Chapter held a contest for the most-liked photo submitted. Ron Wilson, ASLA, took the winning photograph and received a $250 cash prize for receiving the most "likes" in the contest.

Other Chapter Events
The ASCE/ASLA Annual Golf Tournament is an annual fundraising event organized in partnership with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This year's event was held at the beautiful Forest Park Golf Course in August. The golf tournament helps to raise funds for programs and scholarships to educate youth about the civil engineering and landscape architecture professions. The well-attended event included prizes for "longest drive" and "closest to the pin."

This fall, chapter members participated in a CEU presentation and factory tour of a nearby site furnishings manufacturer. The presentation covered some of the differences in coatings available on site furnishings. The plant tour was beneficial to better understand how the products landscape architects specify are manufactured.