Ivyside Park Swimming Pool was once the world's largest concrete pool, filled with three million gallons of water. It measured 650 feet long and 186 feet wide, could hold 5000 swimmers at one time, and also served ice skaters in winter. A tree-filled island in the center was a favorite gathering place for swimmers. In 1948, when the Altoona Undergraduate Center, Penn State Altoona's original name, moved to Ivyside Park, the island, then surrounded by parked cars instead of water, became a popular gathering and study spot for students.