The grand re-opening of the Mattahunt Community Center was celebrated on Thursday, October 13, 2011, capping off an unprecedented transformation of the formerly city-run facility to a center privately managed by Wheelock College.

Hailed as a model for future community centers across Boston, the Mattahunt Community Center is a vibrant and unique partnership between the City of Boston, the Mattapan community, and Wheelock College that is committed to bringing forth a quality, sustainable community center filled with programs and services designed to respond to the needs and assets of the people in Mattapan.

Watch this Boston Neighborhood Network New report about the Center's revitalization.

Located in the Mattahunt School at 100 Hebron St., Mattapan, the Mattahunt Community Center had long been a valued asset for Mattapan residents. But severe budget constraints prompted the City of Boston in 2010 to stop providing services there. Wheelock, which is already involved in a variety of programs serving the Greater Boston community, stepped forward to lead the effort to revitalize the Center. With financial backing from groups such as the United Way and the Boston Foundation, Wheelock will take charge of the Mattahunt's programming for the next four years, while the city of Boston retains ownership of the building.

Renovations to the Center were completed over the summer, included reopening of its formerly unused pool, creation of a brand-new computer access area, plus extensive repainting and refurbishment of the building and grounds and the addition of a brand-new mural to the comunity room. These efforts were aided by numerous volunteers, including members of the Boston Celtics and City Year organizations.

Mattahunt Wheelock Partnership Community Advisory Board

The Center is now overseen by the Mattahunt Wheelock Partnership Community Advisory Board that includes leaders from the Mattahunt community as well as Wheelock faculty and staff.  The Advisory Board is co-chaired by David Jackson, President of Friends of the Mattapan Library and Mattapan resident for 33 years; Dr. Azzie Young, President and CEO of the Mattapan Community Health Center; and Marta T. Rosa, Wheelock College's Special Assistant to the President in the Office of Government and External Affairs.

Meet the full Community Advisory Board

The Advisory Board holds regular public meetings and forums to gather input from the community.

Upcoming Mattahunt Center Meetings:

 Tuesday, March 20, 2012 5:30pm - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, June 19, 2012 5:30pm - 7:30 pm

Community Wide Forum/Date:
Thursday, June 7, 2012 5:30pm - 7:30 pm

Available Programs and Hours of Operation

Programming at the Center—provided by Wheelock staff as well as several partner organizations—now includes swimming lessons, an outdoors program, an ongoing youth advocacy seminar, yoga classes, nutrition education, free reading and math tutoring, youth sports, English classes for non-native speakers, and young professional seminars and workshops.

The Mattahunt Center is open to the public Monday - Friday, 1 p.m. - 8 p.m. and offers several annual membership levels, including a family rate for $25 and a $5 youth aquatics card.

 

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The community engagement process for the project was made possible with a generous donation from the United Way.