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Thousands of Ottawa Redblacks season-ticket holders got their first look at the team’s sparkling new home Wednesday night at the grand opening of TD Place at Lansdowne.

While the event was a chance for fans to tour the stadium and meet Redblacks players, it also served as a test run for team officials madly preparing for the team’s July 18 home opener.

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Some season-ticket holders took public transportation, as the city had hoped, and while the Glebe was noticeably busy, traffic was still moving. Others took shuttles leaving from various park-and-ride locations throughout the city.

Many fans donned new Redblacks gear, but there was also plenty of nostalgia in the air.

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Mike Morris has been an Ottawa football fan for 60 years. The 82-year-old said he remembers the days when fans would park cars and beam the lights onto the field when games pushed into the evening, especially in hard-fought overtime.