By Laurie Perrone
Updated July 2, 2026: This article has been updated to reflect additional historical information. Please see the Editor’s Note at the end of the article for details.
As the United States approaches its semiquincentennial, the national gaze inevitably drifts toward the marble monuments of D.C. and the hallowed halls of Philadelphia. We look for history in parchment and bronze, searching for the grand narrative of a nation.
Yet, to find the true, beating heart of the American experience as we hit 2026, one needs only to head to Belgrove Drive in Kearny. Here lies Bunny Hill—a verdant, rolling sanctuary that proves the most enduring history isn’t always written in ink; it is written in one of the most precious commodities of all-our human experiences as it plays out in the moment.
Bunnyland began as part of Kearny’s Riverbank Park, where a state-funded deer run was created on the hillside along Belgrove Drive and the Passaic River. With support from the Kiwanis Club and other civic groups, the attraction expanded over the years to include many different types of animals, some acquired from New York’s Central Park Zoo. The parks signature rabbits arrived unexpectedly after families released unwanted Easter pets into the enclosure, and as their population grew, the beloved local landmark became known as “Bunnyland.”
Today, the hill stands as a monument to that grassroots volunteerism, a reminder that the soul of a town is shaped by those who invest in its magic.
“It was family tradition to visit Bunnyland on Easter where we would see the chicks and rabbits among the rest of animals…especially the black bear named SINAWIK, who was the KIWANIS namesake, spelled backwards, of course. Then we would go to my grandmother’s for Easter dinner.” Michael Gaydos, a lifelong Kearny resident recalls.
Bunny Hill is a living testament to the truest texture of our nation: the community sanctuary. This emerald slope represents the quiet, everyday peace that the founders envisioned 250 years ago—a place where the most radical act is a shared picnic and the only agenda is the pursuit of a perfect sunset.
There is a profound, poetic depth to Bunny Hill. This land was a formal gift from Kearny’s military veterans—a living memorial to service and sacrifice. It exists as a beautiful paradox: a space defined by the innocence of play that is anchored by the weight of history. To lounge on this grass today is to directly experience the freedoms protected by those who served. Here, gratitude isn’t a somber obligation; it’s the warmth of a sunny afternoon shared with friends.
As the 4th of July approaches in our nation’s milestone year, Bunny Hill remains the undisputed champion of viewing spots. When the sky eventually erupts in a spectacular fireworks display, the crowd won’t just be watching a light show; they will be participating in a timeless ritual on the same turf that has hosted generations before them. While the world outside may change, our need to gather on a hill and witness the spectacular remains a permanent part of the human—and American—spirit.
When the seasons shift and a fresh layer of frost blankets the town, Bunny Hill reveals another facet of its enduring legacy as Kearny’s premier winter theater. The landscape, once a verdant sanctuary, is reborn as a shimmering, snowy arena where the local community gathers to celebrate the quiet majesty of a snowfall.
This emerald slope, now ivory-clad, becomes a bustling hive of seasonal joy; here, families gather in the crisp, biting air that carries the music of communal laughter and the rhythmic crunch of packed trails, while neighbors converge at the summit to share a moment of connection before descending the ridge. It is a living proof that the most profound American traditions aren’t found in distant travels, but in the snowy slopes and shared thrills of our very own neighborhood backyards.
Bunny Hill is more than a park; it is a tapestry of zoo-born whimsy, veteran-led honor, and communal connection. It is the soul of Kearny, and may it keep us looking toward to the next 250 years.
Editor’s Note: This article has been revised and updated following the receipt of additional historical information about Bunnyland being a part of the original Riverbank Park.
The writer Laurie Perrone is a self-published fiction writer, a freelance journalist, a blogger, a poet and a mental health advocate. You will find her works and social media at This Jersey Girl Interrupted.
