From tackling Kingston’s parking problem to improving access to eye care, two Queen’s student teams are turning everyday challenges into award-winning ideas.
The City of Kingston announced the winners of the ninth annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge on March 20, following a pitch competition at City Hall where eight finalist teams presented their projects.
The competition is designed to empower post-secondary students to “tackle real-world issues and bring forward ideas that can help shape Kingston’s future,” according to the city’s announcement.
The Dunin-Deshpande Innovation Centre Prize was awarded to KPARK, a smart parking platform developed by Nathaniel Cheung, Darcy Cheung, and Rowan Horner, all Sci ’28.
The Public Sector Innovation Prize, sponsored by Bell, was awarded to BrightSight—an initiative to improve access to eye care for underserved youth developed by Hussain Al Moman, Kamran Asim, and Alex Afrouz, all HealthSci ’28.
The teams met with The Journal to discuss their accomplishments.
KPARK
KPARK was initially developed during a QHacks Hackathon, a 36-hour event where students build projects from scratch, where the team set out to address a common frustration. The team won, with the prize being an entry into the innovation challenge.
“We always had trouble making it on time to our intramurals because we could never find parking,” Darcy said. “So, we thought, how can we build a product that would help us and help others park faster.”
Their platform uses computer vision technology to detect available parking spaces through cameras, rather than relying on individual sensors for each spot. The system then relays real-time data to an interface, allowing users to view parking availability across a selected area.
The team said the challenge differed significantly from their previous experience presenting technical projects.
“They were really interested in possible economic factors that it could help generate,” Darcy said. “It was definitely a switch in mentality.”
Following their win, the team will work with the Dunin-Deshpande Queen’s Innovation Centre to further develop and scale their product, with plans to pilot the system on campus before expanding to downtown Kingston.
“We just want to make the overall idea of parking not so much of a hassle,” Nathaniel said.
BrightSight
BrightSight approached the competition from a different angle as one of only two non-profit teams, according to Al Moman.
The idea originated informally. “We were hanging out in Alex’s apartment one day, and we were brainstorming ideas,” Al Moman said.
The group identified a gap in access to vision care, particularly among youth who may not be aware of available resources or can’t afford necessary treatment.
Their initiative is run through a website and connects underserved youth with local optometry clinics and covers the costs of prescription glasses when needed. Their primary demographic includes individuals under 19.
Individuals apply, they get appointments scheduled with BrightSight’s partner optometrist clinic, gets examined, and receive their glasses. They usually get their funding through donations and fundraising.
“We didn’t have the funds to help them, that wasn’t a good feeling,” Asim said. “So, getting this grant […] it’s really helpful.”
In a statement to The Journal, the team emphasized the personal motivations behind the project.
Afrouz drew on his experience working in an eye clinic in Waterloo, where he saw patients unable to afford proper care. Asim highlighted his background in Cape Breton, where high child poverty rates encouraged his commitment to supporting underserved youth. Al Moman referenced a family member whose untreated vision issues worsened over time.
During the pitch competition, the team said they felt out of place among “actual businesses.” Despite this, they remained confident in their impact-motivated approach.
The group was ultimately awarded a $10,000 prize, along with access to additional training and mentorship opportunities.
“There were so many good projects that day,” Al Moman said. “We were very happy.”
Both teams emphasized that their wins didn’t only provide funding, but also validation and a path to expand on their ideas.
Tags
innovation, Kingston Mayor, Mayor's Innovation Challenge
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