Mayor Norton Marks Final Mayor’s Grove Tree Planting at Cascade Lake Park

Mayor Kim Norton marked the final Mayor’s Grove tree planting of her term at Cascade Lake Park on Sept. 17, continuing an annual tradition she began in 2020.

Since 2020, Mayor Norton has funded the planting of 10 trees each year at Cascade Lake Park. With this year’s planting, approximately 70 trees have been added to the park through the effort.

“The Mayor’s Grove has been a special way to invest in the future of our community, one tree at a time,” said Mayor Norton. “It has been incredibly rewarding to watch these trees grow over the years and know they will continue to provide beauty, shade and environmental benefits for generations to come.”

This year’s event also included the planting of three trees in memory of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a longtime public servant and personal friend of Mayor Norton. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in June 2025. Following their deaths, the Hortmans’ children encouraged people to honor their parents’ memory through acts of kindness and community, including planting a tree.