A double whammy is forcing an early end to the Saturday farmers market on Maple Avenue in downtown Manteca.

Heavy rains delayed plantings and ultimately harvest for several of the produce venders.

As a result, the number of produce vendors has dropped off as the weeks passed.

That, in turn, triggered lower attendance.

The bottom line: Instead of running through October as it did last year, the Market on Maple is wrapping up this Saturday. Hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the  100 block of Maple Avenue anchored by the post office.

City officials are working with market coordinators on ways to make next year’s version more successful.

It may involve a new location, although the city wants to stay in the downtown area.

One possible location is the transit center at Moffat and South Main.

When  the city was planning the transit center 15 years ago, the idea was to have it serve as a community gathering place.

That is why there is a large community room as well as an “expansive” outdoor plaza on the corner of the intersection.

As such, it would provide a high-profile exposure for a Saturday market as it would be visible to traffic on Manteca’s heaviest traveled corridor — Main Street.

It is also a block south of Yosemite Avenue, the main east-west street tying shopping areas together.

The city could have the option of even using the community room to stage entertainment or demonstration style events in conjunction with the market or use as an additional vendor area.

The community room is also currently under used.

There is also space on the east side of the transit center as well as in the parking lot.

Parking on Saturdays would not be an issue especially once the parking lot is expanded to accommodate the future Altamont Corridor Express commuter trains in 2025. ACE runs Monday through Friday.

The transit center is also on the Tidewater Bikeway that ties neighborhoods into downtown. That would allow easy — and safe — access for families that might opt to bicycle to the market.

In addition, it is directly across the tracks from the animal shelter allowing for a strong tie-in with the weekly market.

It would also mean the market would not need to be cancelled during street fair events. That would allow for more consistency that helps build repeat visitors.

The transit center is one of several areas where there is a carve-out that allows the city to ban camping on public property. As such, it lacks the stigma that Library Park developed over the years with the homeless hanging out.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com