====== Gretchen Park ======
Gretchen Park is an orbital exotic botanical garden built in 2237 by [[Robert Gretchen]] dedicated to his dying wife and research assistant, [[Margret Gretchen]]. At the height of the station's popularity, it received over two million guests per year. However, by 2315 enhancements in force field and biological containment technologies allowed exotic plants to be kept on Earth's surface, ending bans and making the park obsolete. By [[https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/2320|2320]], Gretchen Park was completely abandoned.

As of 2425, the Gretchen Park was turned over to [[Sa'ren Sk'llian]] and the [[Kit Biosphere Restoration Project]].

{{infobox>
name = Gretchen Park
description = A teardrop shaped space station where the rounded section is the top, the tip of the drop the bottom. The top of the station is a large dome featuring the open section of the park grounds.
category = Custom Orbital Station
affiliation = Federation
location = [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth|Earth, Sol]]
altitude = 20,000 kilometers
orbit = 12 hours
constructed = [[https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/2237|2237]]
designer = [[Robert Gretchen]]

=== Key Personnel ===
project lead = [[Sa'Ren Sk'llian]]
station administrator = [[Aina]]
science lead = 
engineering lead = [[Christine April]]
security lead = [[Britney Barns]]
hospitality lead = [[Dagrin K'mnzi]]

=== Basic Specifications ===
Radius = 1.25 kilometers
Diameter = 2.5 kilometers
Area = 4.9 square kilometers
Height = 175 meters
Decks = 35

=== General Services ===
Medical = 1 sickbay \\ 20 small aid stations
Transportation = 4 transporter rooms \\ 4 docking ports \\ 1 small craft bay \\ 1 worker bee bay
Cargo = 10 general cargo bays \\ 10 specialized food pantry bays

=== Staff Accommodations ===
Staff capacity = 300
Recreation = 2 Staff recreation rooms \\ 1 Arcade \\ 1 Gymnasium \\ 1 Jogging track \\ 1 bowling alley (2 lanes)
Food = 1 Staff cafeteria \\ 35 break rooms (1 per deck)

=== Hospitality ===
Capacity = 6,000 / day
Overnight = 100 rooms
Food = 1 Food court \\ 15 rest stations
Recreation = 1 Arcade \\ 1 Gymnasium \\ 1 Jogging track through the main park

=== Flora Facilities ===
Agriculture = 15 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_farming|Vertical]] [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics|hydroponic]] greenhouses \\ 8 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeroponics|Aeroponics]] bays \\ 5 [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extremophile|Extremophile]] bays \\ 2 Soil farms
Research = 20 botanical research labs \\ 2 genetic research laboratories
Exhibits = 1 4.9 square kilometer open park \\ 300 variable modular climate display cases

=== Fauna Facilities ===
Medical = 1 Veterinarian service office
Exhibits = 20 animal pens \\ 200 small animal / insect pens
}}

===== History =====
Planning for //Gretchen Park// began in 2234 six months following the terminal diagnosis of [[Margaret Gretchen]], wife of famed exobotanist [[Robert Gretchen]]. The final architectural design was selected in January 2235 with construction beginning by March 2235 and ending on 7 July 2237. The park officially opened to considerable fan fair on 1 October 2237.

Marget Gretchen would die in 2236. In accordance with her wishes, her body would be used to grow some of the plants at Gretchen Park in a process known as [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_composting|Human Composting]]. A dedication plaque was placed on the main grounds near the lake in a flowerbed.

Park attendence grew steadily until the [[https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Federation-Klingon_War_(2256-57)|Federation-Klingon War]] of 2256 when the station was closed due to damaged by orbital debris. Repairs were completed in 2258 and the park reopened.

A major renovation of the station's amenities was performed in 2270. This change allowed visitors to book stays in hotel suites, gain access to after-hours demonstrations or classes, and provide hosting for conferences. This would also be the last major overhaul of the station's operations and engineering systems.

Robert Gretchen passed away on 15 January 2273. Like his wife, he was similarly interned through composition. The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Board_of_directors|board of trustees]] and the [[Societal Preservation of Roses, Etcetera]] continued management of the station.

Attendance began falling steadily from its peak of two million visitors per year in 2280 to just 500,000 per year by 2300. Efforts were made to revitalize and draw crowds, including opening the park as a venue for weddings and parties. 

In 2315, following improvements in force field and botanical containment systems, laws were changed to allow large quantities of previously banned exoplants on Earth. Several botanical gardens, conservatories, and zoos began importing specimens which before could only be seen at Gretchen Park. Attendence at the park entered a free fall and by 2320, the board of trustees was disbanded and the park shuttered.

The station was handed off to various property management groups following the shutdown. These organizations sought to revitalize or retool Gretchen Park into various ventures including hotels, schools, and even an embassy. However, these projects failed to manifest in part due to the aging infrastructure and specialized rooms which did not follow modern Federation modular design, greatly impeding renovation efforts.

In 2425, the station was handed over to the Federation-run [[Kit Biosphere Restoration Project]].

===== Deck Layout =====
Broadly, the station configuration aligns with the following table:

^ Deck ^ Facilities ^
| 1    | Dome park \\ Jogging track \\ Watercraft recreation \\ Memorials |
| 2 - 3 | Exhibit halls | 
| 4     | Food court \\ Main concourse \\ Transporter rooms \\ Docking ports \\ Small craft bay (upper level) \\ Medical bay | 
| 5     | Small craft bay (mid level) \\ Hotel suites \\ Recreation centers \\ Conference rooms | 
| 6 - 8 | Small craft bay (lower level) \\ Staff accomodations | 
| 9 - 15 | Laboratories \\ Greenhouses \\ Cargo bays |
| 16     | Main life support |
| 17 - 20 | Main computer |
| 21 | Reactor (topmost level) | 
| 25 | Main engineering |
| 32 | Reactor (bottommost level) |
| 33 - 34 | Reactor fuel storage \\ Waste processing | 
| 35 | Communications systems (internal) |

{{tag>"stellar cartography" federation}}