Nature, Legacy, and Leadership
By Michelle Vasquez | Photography by David Teran
Chris Maitre, a native New Orleanian, spent most of his adult life being raised by his maternal grandfather, George Ruiz. Ruiz was originally from San Antonio and a descendant of the Canary Islands. The two bonded deeply as Ruiz taught Maitre to ride a bike, cast a fishing line, and appreciate nature and the outdoors. “He instilled this love of the outdoors and nature and taking care of culture while respecting the landscape,” Maitre says.
It wasn’t until adulthood that Maitre turned those memories into a calling. Today, he is the CEO of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy (BPC) and this month’s Guy to Know.
Maitre never dreamed he would one day establish a new life in the city that had shaped so many of his grandfather’s memories, nor that he would be stewarding the future of one of its most treasured parks.
It took the COVID pandemic and a 26-year career as Athletics and Recreation Director and professor at Tulane University for Maitre to recognize the deeper meaning those early outdoor lessons held.
“I always told my students to do something they love,” he says. “Professionally, I was enjoying my job, but I wasn’t loving my job.” That clarity led to following his passion of loving the outdoors and working in park conservancy in New Orleans. Soon after, an unexpected opportunity followed to join San Antonio’s Brackenridge Park Conservancy.
The warmth of San Antonio’s culture, coupled with the opportunity to elevate the park on a national level, motivated Maitre to take the job. “It just really feels like it’s a place we can continue to invest in, to take care of, and treasure for the next generations.”
The 125-year-old park boasts unique attractions for visitors and residents alike, including extensive trails, the San Antonio Zoo, the Witte Museum, the Japanese Tea Garden, and a historic golf course. Many of these spaces have been enhanced over the years. But to Maitre, the Conservancy is about more than just preservation. It’s also about transformation and encouraging new visitors.
Whether you want to hike, climb a tree, or listen to good music, there’s something in the park for everyone. Enhancements underway include improvements to the 2017 cultural trail system, a new two-acre nature playscape with mobility access and a water feature, and the redevelopment of the Sunken Garden Theater and Miraflores.
Miraflores, located on the border of the park, was a privately owned historic Mexican aquatic sculpture garden that had fallen on hard times. While it is currently owned by the City of San Antonio, BPC has an agreement to restore it. Once owned by Dr. Aureliano Urrutia, a physician who treated patients at the former Nix Hospital, the space reflects the contributions of San Antonio’s Mexican community. “It’s a space that really should be celebrated,” says Maitre. “We’re committed to helping tell that story and bring that place back to life.”
Maitre encourages people to engage with the park in any way they can, whether through visiting, hiking, climbing trees, or volunteering. “We want people to love this park and love it back,” he says. On any given Saturday morning, volunteers can be found picking up litter, painting benches, or helping with landscaping. “We get about 25 people every weekend. We furnish everything for their activities; all we need is them.”
Though leading the Conservancy keeps him busy, Maitre still finds time to reconnect with nature. “I like to go hiking, trail riding, or mountain biking. I just love being out in nature,” he says. For Maitre, it all comes full circle to honoring his grandfather’s legacy by helping future generations fall in love with the outdoors, just as he did.
