In building a parking garage at the new Heritage Park, Sunny Isles Beach officials are planning a tribute of sorts to the city’s roots.

Images saved from the Dunes Hotel will be part of the new parking garage.

A series of Egyptian-style tablets that once hung in the lobby of The Dunes hotel will adorn the entrance of the parking structure. The six images have been stored by the city since The Dunes was demolished in June, 2003. City Historian Richard Schulman estimates each is about 50 years old.

The tablets – each about 30 by 36 inches and weighing about 100 pounds – will be embedded in the concrete near the entrance to the garage.  The works were designed for indoor use, but engineers are confident a layer of sealant will protect them from the Florida weather as well as from graffiti. The artwork will be lighted at night.

Heritage Park is being built near the intersection of Collins Avenue and the Lehman Causeway. Initial work on the garage has begun but other elements of the plan remain under discussion.

The plan for the reuse of The Dunes artwork was among the topics discussed recently at a meeting of the city’s Historic Preservation Committee.

The group decided to recommend against fencing the horse and carriage at Margolis Park, arguing that the value of having a user-friendly exhibit that would be touched outweighed the risk of potential damage.

City Manager Rick Conner also briefed the group on plans to remodel the history walk hallway in the Government Center. Conner envisions using alcoves and lighting to make the exhibit more of an attraction and less of a hallway. Memorabilia from the Rascal House restaurant also will be added.