The mayor of Santa Rosa, New Mexico, said the city’s landmark Blue Hole may partly reopen by this weekend after a wall collapse forced its closing in mid-June.
According to a report in the Albuquerque Journal:
Santa Rosa Mayor Nelson Kotiar told the Journal that barring any setbacks, the Blue Hole, which is owned by the city, could reopen for swimming as soon as this coming weekend. However, people will not be able to dive in when it reopens.
Scuba divers may be able to return in the next couple of weeks. Kotiar said the city will give the final determination when to reopen parts of the Blue Hole.
“God willing,” he said. […]
Kotiar said before any part of the Blue Hole is reopened, he wants to be cautious. He said signs will be placed in and under water along with a warning for people to stay away from the west wall where the rock collapsed.
The Blue Hole, a spring-fed pool more than 80 feet deep that stays at 61 degrees year-round, closed on June 17 when a huge boulder broke off on the west underwater wall.
City officials kept the pool closed since that day for safety reasons. Not only is the Blue Hole popular with visitors on hot New Mexico summer days, but it’s often used for training scuba divers.
The Blue Hole’s closing has negatively affected the local economy. Christina Campos, owner of Joseph’s Bar & Grill in Santa Rosa, estimated business at the restaurant has dropped 17% since the closure.
Updates on the Blue Hole’s status will be posted on its website.
Incidentally, the Journal reporter on the story is Gregory Hasman, a longtime enthusiast of Route 66 and other historic roads.
UPDATE: The City of Santa Rosa put out this notice Wednesday:
(Image of the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, by Jimmy Emerson via Flickr)