Sneha Vithal Shinde, MLA '25, was featured in an Athol Daily News article for her master's project, "Rooted: Fish Park – A Cultural Landscape for Community Healing." The project, developed during an internship with the Town of Athol, MA, proposes upgrades to Fish Park, a popular recreational destination in Athol, through new ADA-compliant pathways, inclusive play areas, signage and amenities, improved parking, and more. Shinde presented her plan to Athol's Open Space and Recreation Review Committee at a meeting on April 22, 2025.
In May, Shinde presented this and several other projects to a jury from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects for the ASLA Student Awards. Shinde received an ASLA Honor Award in recognition of outstanding academic achievement.
"Winning the ASLA Award affirms my belief that design rooted in empathy can transform even the most overlooked spaces into places of belonging. From the dense high-rises of Mumbai to the heat-stressed streets of Bangkok and the community parks of Massachusetts, each project taught me that landscape architecture is not just about planting, it’s about listening, healing, and grounding people in place," said Shinde.
"Rooted: Fish Park – A Cultural Landscape for Community Healing."