In 1711 – 1719 it was cleaned, deepened and rrenamed into Letny Kanal (Summer Canal) or Canal of the Summer Gardens.A short while later, swans from artificial ponds settled there and the Canal was renamed into Lebyazhiya kanavka (Swan groove).

By 1733 four wooden bridges had been built and the banks had been strengthened with wooden planks. In 1799 architect Pilnikov built a stone terrace on the right bank of the canal, from the side of the Summer Gardens. In 1953 – 1956 the canal bottom was deepened, the banks were decorated with granite, slopes were covered with turf.