By Mike Finney

DOVER — While Robin Eaton was walking through Walmart a couple of days ago, he suddenly came up with a golden idea.

Mr. Eaton, director of the City of Dover’s Parks and Recreation Division, came up with the idea of hiding five golden eggs throughout the city’s 28 parks.

Each golden egg contains a unique item and the lucky winners who find them will each receive $25 off any Dover Parks and Recreation program.

“I was in Walmart the other morning and I saw a golden egg and I just thought, ‘I think I can do something with golden eggs,’” Mr. Eaton said. “They’ve got the golden ticket in ‘Willy Wonka,’ plus I figure it’s a way to get people out to the parks.

“When I first mentioned it (to parks staff), everybody was eager to get on board. I don’t know if it’s because I’m the boss, or whether they really like it, but they jumped in and are making it happen.”

Carolyn Courtney, of Dover Parks and Recreation, said Mr. Eaton can rest easy. She and her co-workers liked his golden idea.

“We thought it was a great idea,” Ms. Courtney said. “We think it’s a really neat idea to get people out to the parks and maybe explore a neighborhood park that they hadn’t explored before.

“Or they can go down to Silver Lake to see that you can fish. They have a playground there, there’s a pavilion and there’s so much to do, or go over to Dover Park where all the exciting things are coming.”

She added that Thursday’s mid-70-degree weather in Dover was good timing for the golden egg hunt to get underway.

“It’s really a great way to get people out,” Ms. Courtney said, “and it’s definitely worth a golden egg to get them out to our parks and see what we have to offer.”

It is a mystery as to where the golden eggs are located, but they aren’t necessarily hidden amongst the city’s large parks, such as Schutte, Silver Lake or Dover.

They could also be hidden among the many neighborhood parks throughout the city, such as Division and Kirkwood Streets Park, Crossgates Park, The Hamlet, Mallard Pond, Richardson Park, and others.

“There will be five eggs throughout the city within the 28 parks,” said Mr. Eaton, “and we’re not releasing what five parks they’re in.

“Some of them are obscure little parks, some of them are within walking distance of people’s homes and others might be a little bit of a travel, but they’re located throughout the city — north and south, east and west.”

For a list of Dover’s 28 parks visit Cityofdover.com/departments/ParksRecreation/parks-listing.

As the golden eggs are found, the winners will be announced on the Dover Parks and Recreation’s website and Facebook pages. The contest is open from now until all five eggs have been found.

Only one golden egg can be claimed per household and the winning eggs, and their contents, must be turned in to the John W. Pitts Recreation Center at Schutte Park.

For more information, call the City of Dover Parks & Recreation Department at 302-736-7050 or visit Cityofdover.com/parks-recs-home.