Mayor still waiting to talk Lebreton Flats with Senators’ owner

Jim Watson wants to start seeing progress on one of the city's biggest projects for its downtown. 

“The sooner we can get shovels in the ground, the better,” Watson told the Rick Gibbons Show on 1310 NEWS. 

But, there's just one problem. The Mayor still hasn't been able to set up a meeting with Ottawa Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk.

“We're working with his office to get a date sometime in the next month,” said Watson. 

But, that was exactly was he was saying in late April. 

The Mayor has been trying to have a sit down meeting with Melnyk since his commitment level to the new arena project seemed to waver in his meetings with season ticket holders.

Watson believes Melnyk and his team are in town sometime this week to meet with the National Capital Commission. 

But, it's clear his message to the Senators' owner will be the same, whenever their meeting takes place. 

“Stop musing about not wanting to come downtown. Because I'm not going to waste my time, and I don't think the NCC wants to waste its time if every once in a while the Owner pops up and says 'well maybe we don't have to move downtown',” Watson said. 

He added that his main point will be to focus on expectations as the projects start to unfold. 

“I've been very clear that we're not going to subsidize with tax dollars – the arena – and I just want to make sure that they understand that that's still our position.”