Hailing 15 years of bicycling activism in Mattapan
- mffcweb
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
By: Seth Daniel, News Editor | July 30, 2025
The 15th annual Mattapan on Wheels bicycle rally celebrated a milestone on Saturday morning (July 26) before excited riders set out to usher in the use of the Neponset Greenway Extension for their roughly 20-mile ride from Mattapan to Castle Island.
Shavel’le Olivier, executive director of the Mattapan Food & Fitness Coalition, noted before the ride that she was a co-founder of the event as a teen when the neighborhood was being overlooked for the city’s planning efforts for cyclists. Now, the event is firmly established as a centerpiece of summer fitness and bike riding, with three routes to choose from setting out from Ryan Playground on River Street.
“Over the past 15 years we have logged more than 1,000 riders and biked more than 51,000 miles – while our volunteers have put in over 3,400 hours of work over that time,” she said. “Now we are focusing our efforts on alternative opportunities to get around the city by bike, opportunities in Mattapan for physical activity, and programs for youth leadership.”
In the past few years, the ride has begun with a crossing of the stunning Harvest Bridge over the Neponset River, and that was the case this year as well. Olivier reminded riders – some who had ridden all 15 years – that it was their consistent voices that helped get that bridge in place. In the first years, she said, it didn’t feel safe riding on River Street for the event. With the Neponset Greenway Extension in place from Tenean Beach and up Morrissey Boulevard, the ride is ideal and safe.
“In 2017, our riders were able to experience going over the Harvest Bridge, and today our Castle Island riders will be able to experience that extension for the first time this day,” said Oliver.
While there were plenty of folks who were veterans of Mattapan on Wheels, there were also new riders like Daphne Terry – who just got a bike.
“I’m on it every day since I got it about two months ago,” she said. “I commute with it every day to work downtown. It’s been a blessing and a stress reliever. I’m here for the first time today because I’m always looking for something in community and a reason to ride my bike.”
