As of 2009, only the first phase of construction has been completed, with most work to this point focusing on irrigation, parking, and lighting, with some additional work on the gardens and the Eventide memorial. The project's slow pace has been attributed to financial difficulties, as well as administrative changes in the government personnel overseeing the renovations. Funding was to be provided by the government, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, and private donors, but private donations have been scarce due to the park's close proximity to several depressed neighborhoods and high-crime areas.