Redblacks feeling at home in Kingston as team prepares for upcoming CFL season

Training camp week wraps up with Redblacks Fan Fest on Saturday.

Kingston residents may have noticed some football activity happening out at Richardson Stadium.

That's because the Ottawa Redblacks are holding training camp in the Limestone City this week as the team prepares for the upcoming CFL season.

General Manager Shawn Burke tells KingstonDaily.ca that there are a couple of reasons why they are holding camp in Kingston.

Burke says the team's relationship with the Gaels football program, Gaels head coach Steve Snyder and the University's athletic director Linda Melnick was the catalyst for bringing the Redblacks to Queen's for training camp .

He says it is a unique experience for the players and allows them to focus on football.

There are 84 players in camp including Queen's alumnus Peter Adjey, the Redblacks' long snapper.

Some staff on the Gaels football team are also helping out during training camp.

Burke had nothing but nice things to say about the University and the city of Kingston.

Training camp week will wrap up on Saturday with Redblacks Fan Fest at Richardson Stadium from 12 Noon to 4 pm.

Burke says it will be a fun day of activities for the fans including a scrimmage game.

More information on Fan Fest can be found by going to the team's website.

Once the team breaks camp, the team will head back to Ottawa to prepare for their first pre-season game which will be against the Alouettes in Montreal on May 24.

The two teams play each other again on May 30 at TD Place in Ottawa.

The Redblacks open the CFL regular season June 5 against the Roughriders in Saskatchewan.

Story by Ken Hashizume