Mary Cates, former Raleigh City Councilwoman who helped pioneer Raleigh’s Citizens Advisory Committee network, was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame October 1 in ceremonies at the Raleigh Convention Center.
She early declared “a religious and patriotic commitment to be a steward of the public good,” a commitment that has surely been realized in Raleigh. Her initial effort was working with the city to make broad changes in the city’s watershed policies after her neighborhood was flooded. After pioneering the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) network, she served as Glenwood CAC chair, then as Raleigh Chair, presiding over 18 CAC districts.
While she was known as a neighborhood champion when elected to the Raleigh City Council, the development community came to appreciate her ability to listen to all sides of an issue, then work toward a balanced solution. Her ability to mediate divergent groups helped lead to the construction of a sports and entertainment arena serving the Triangle area.
During five terms on the Raleigh City Council, she championed park and greenways which brought national recognition to the city. Born in Greensboro, Mary Cates is now a resident of Raleigh’s Springmoor Retirement Community.