About the next phase in this city's light-rail project. Ottawa already has a superb transit corridor system and a light-rail line that spans the city from north to south. And by 2009, the second phase, allowing those in the capital's downtown to ride the rails, will be completed at the cost of $650 million. Yes, you read that right — $650 million. And just to ensure you are fully awake this morning, consider that the federal and provincial governments are each kicking in $200 million for Ottawa's new era in public transportation.

Now, this may be a bit of a bumpy segue so hold on tight: My hometown is still debating the idea of transit corridors while Ottawa is steaming forward with the next phase of its light-rail program, which will be integrated into its already-successful rapid transit corridors. Meanwhile, Winnipeg — which is roughly the same size as Ottawa and faces many of the same winter-weather and commuter challenges — is hung up on a $50-million price tag for bus lanes on railway right-of-ways. In Ottawa, the only debate over the new train projected to carry 43,000 passengers by 2011 is whether the rails should run down Albert or Slater streets.

Now let me rail about rinks. I worry that Winnipeg's potential revamp of its parks and recreation network is going to mean fewer Silver Heights Community Clubs and more Fairmont Parks. I would love for my children to have the outdoor hockey experience I had growing up in Winnipeg. My neighbours here marvel when I tell them about Winnipeg's community club system as we scream at city hall about our poor excuse for a rink. (And in the back of our minds, we worry that our rink, such as it is, may be just a budget cut away from never appearing again after Feb. 28.)

Watching my hometown from afar, I wonder if Winnipeg is about to turn its back on a recreational infrastructure that would be the envy of Ottawa while refusing to move forward on a transportation future that Ottawa has already proven works.

I worry that Winnipeg's mayor fails to see that there are big federal dollars available for strategic infrastructure like rapid transit corridors and light rail but nothing substantial for community clubs. I fret that no one back home is working to ensure Winnipeg gets the same share of infrastructure dollars that the federal government is so easily flowing into Ottawa for a project that will only handle about 10 per cent of this city's transit ridership. I shudder to think that a city that took decades to build the Charleswood Bridge and once agonized about developing The Forks is missing the train when it comes to the next chapter in public transportation.

And I have no idea where I am supposed to go skating with Matthew after Feb. 28.