She was also president of the Metro Family Service Association and served on the board of directors of the Central Mortgage and Housing Corp.[4] She and her husband Harry Rowlands (1922–1989),[3] whom she divorced, raised five children.

She ran in the suburban riding of York—Scarborough, far from her electoral base in the old City of Toronto, and was defeated by Progressive Conservative Paul McCrossan.

[8] Rowlands remained on both Metro and Toronto City Councils until the 1988 municipal election in which she did not run but accepted an appointment as Chair of the Police Commission.

Eventually, right wing support coalesced around Rowlands, and she was elected by a two-to-one margin over Layton after the withdrawal of her fellow female candidates.

However, the band refused to accept it, with Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page later stating, "she doesn't have my vote",[12] in reference to the election later that year.

[14] Located on the northwest corner of Davisville Avenue and Mount Pleasant Road (within her old Ward 10), the park is the recreational hub of the area, with a baseball diamond, a children's playground named after Sharon, Lois and Bram,[15] and a wading pool.