Manteca’s effort to do what they termed “thinking out of the box” to help accelerate downtown’s transformation into a community gathering, dining, and entertainment hub along with specialty stores is a hot topic on some local social media sites.

It’s because the effort essentially involves repurposing most of Library Park into a dining and entertainment destination by leasing a segment of the park to a private concern.

What is known so far is the private concern envisions using refurbished shipping containers to house what might be called boutique dining options along with food trucks beneath the stately sycamore trees of the park.

It is inspired somewhat by the eclectic Downtown Container Park in Las Vegas.

The Vegas endeavor is described as an “open-air shopping center filled with boutique retail shops, unique restaurants, and live entertainment for the whole family.”

City officials have said that is what an investor, who has secured financing from a bank, wants to replicate to a degree at Library Park.

 The original goal of the city investing $1.1 million in a Library Park reconfiguration and expansion 14 years ago was for it to serve as a community gathering place.

As such, it would be a catalyst to encourage private sector investment in downtown in a bid to capture dining, entertainment, and disposable income dollars of  not just the city’s growing population, but that of surrounding communities.

That did  not happen.

Instead, park use in general since the revamp has been light.

As for the downtown transformation many say they want, it is still struggling to take hold in a significant manner.

Mayor Gary Singh noted part of the albatross around downtown’s proverbial neck is the incorrect perception Library Park — and downtown as a whole — is a homeless hangout.

He doesn’t dispute the homeless aren’t still trying to camp illegally for the night in doorways or that they pass through downtown, but stresses it is significantly less than it was in the past.

Part of the reason is the city spends a substantial of  amount of manpower at the start of the day to clean up negative traces of the homeless that they leave behind after most of downtown has closed down for the night.

Singh pointed out the park is significantly underutilized because of the homeless perception.

And it also doesn’t do the perceived image of downtown any favors.

“We’ve got to do something,” Singh said.

The proposed leasing of the park as a food court of sorts is not a done deal.

It was the only proposal the city received after it posted legal notice that it was considering all or parts of Library Park for other possible uses.

Singh noted the two annual street fairs and Christmas parade bring people downtown.

The problem is few people, if any, during that time venture into downtown restaurants and businesses.

What Singh said he’d like to see something that would draw people downtown throughout the year, although he indicated that would likely be mostly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in terms of significant numbers.

But, as he pointed out, that would be better that what is now happening.

The container park would also create the type of attractions that Great Wolf during negotiations before deciding to invest $180 million in Manteca hoped the city would pursue.

The reason is simple.

Great Wolf gets repeat business.

But their repeat business in communities where they are located that have other unique amenities families could access during their stay the indoor waterpark resort, is significantly higher.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com